Four of New Zealand’s budding rugby players have been banned from playing the sport after allegations of steroid use surfaced. The four men were linked to the site ‘NZ Clenbuterol’, which is a domestically owned internet source. The 4 players are now under suspension and an investigation is now ongoing to get to the bottom of the claims.
The players, R. Pederson, Z. Berry, G. Robertson, and B. Qauqua-Dodds have all been verified as paying customers for supplements from NZ Clenbuterol. An investigation is underway and being performed by Drug-Free Sports, New Zealand.
Three of the players were penalized for violating the strict anti-doping laws, due to the fact that they were all found to possess the cutting drug, Clenbuterol. The 4th player, Quaqua-Dodds was charged with being in possession of methandienone, which is a potent anabolic steroid also commonly know as Dianabol. Robertson and berry have received a 4 year suspension from the sport, Quaqua-doods received a two year ban, and Pederson was given a 21 month ban from participating in the sport.
The world anti doping agency strictly enforces anti-steroid rules, of which both Clenbuterol and Dianabol are part of. Clenbuterol is a highly-potent fat loss agent, which is well-renowned for its abilities to suppress appetite and speed up the metabolism dramatically. It is a popular choice among athletes and can increase power and strength too. Dianabol is an oral anabolic steroid typically used for bulking and packing on lean muscle tissue, both of which circumvent the drug free way of play.
A general manager of the rugby union of New Zealand, N. Sorensen seemed to hint toward there being issues of substance abuse in the world of rugby comes down to a lack of information and education of the players.
He noted that the players use of the performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and their resulting punishment should serve as a warning to all other athletes who are considering using physical enhancers, such as Clenbuterol and Dianabol. DFSNZ have put together and employed very strict anti doping rules and regulations, especially to those supplements that give an unfair advantage over other players of the sport. The investigation has so far come to the conclusion that there are elements of ignorance when it comes to the use of anabolic steroids and cutting supplements, which undermines the sport as a whole.
It needs to be noted that 2 of the 4 players have undergone education with regards to steroids and performance enhancing substances in the past while playing for national teams. Sorensen noted that the education they received clearly hadn’t been absorbed, and more needed to be done to reinforce the regulations. All four of the players knew that what they were doing violated the rules, so more education needs to be performed.
The four players join the line up of 9 athletes from New Zealand who have been suspended due to the use of illicit and banned performance enhancing substances. NZ Clenbuterol has a growing list of sporting stars who have been found to have purchased anabolic steroids in the past. In fact, official figures released now claim that more the eighty sporting athletes may be facing charges and suspension for violations of the anti doping regulations. All of them are or have been customers of NZ Clenbuterol, which was operated by a Mr. J Townsend.
It is estimated that the company sold more than two thousand one hundred 10ml vials of Clen, and double the amount with other anabolic steroids used for injection purposes. It is reported that the yearly turnover of the company was more than $205,000. Mr. Townsend was given 2 years in jail after pleading guilty to 129 different offenses relating to the NZ medications act 81.
Hopefully, the recent offenses coming to light will bring more awareness to the current rules and regulations governing the sport, thus preventing further budding stars from tarnishing a promising career. Anabolic steroids have no place in the world of competitive rugby, and to use them would be gaining an unfair advantage over other players. The investigation into the alleged doping offenses is ongoing, and more details will be released once there is a conclusion.
Source: http://www.allblacks.com/TeamAllBlacks/Content/Detail/31914?seoName=four-players-suspended-for-doping-offences
