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Bernard Lapasset - Source: Photosport
One player tested positive for a banned painkiller at the recent
rugby World Cup in New Zealand, the International Rugby Board (IRB)
has said.
The unnamed player, whose team were eliminated after the pool
phase, has been provisionally suspended until the outcome of a
disciplinary hearing. The IRB conducted 216 urine tests and
collected 76 blood samples during the tournament.
"The IRB and its member unions operate a zero-tolerance policy
towards doping in rugby and this comprehensive testing programme
administered across the 20 teams both before and during the
tournament underscores our collaborative commitment in
this pivotal area of the game," IRB anti-doping manager Tim
Ricketts said in a statement.
"The one adverse finding also demonstrates that education is key,
even for painkillers."
