The Queensland Rugby Union has denied trying to cover up Wallaby winger Ben Tune's positive test for the masking agent probenecid, saying it fully informed the ARU and Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA).

Responding to a Courier-Mail newspaper report that the Reds winger was prescribed probenecid, a masking agent, while spending a night in hospital for an infected knee in mid-March last year, the QRU said it informed all the necessary authorities but admitted not taking the matter public in an effort to protect the player's privacy.

The report said Tune played two Super 12 matches for the Reds before officials discovered that he had been given the banned substance.

Tune was withdrawn prior to the next four Reds Super 12 matches while the QRU ran undisclosed testing on his urine at a Sydney laboratory.

The tests showed traces of probenecid and officials did not want to risk him being tested by the Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA), which tests two or three players after each game.

The International Rugby Board outlaws probenecid because it can be used as a masking agent.

QRU chief executive Jeff Miller told a press conference all proper procedures had been followed and ASDA and the Australian Rugby Union were notified of the situation and Tune was removed from the competition.

"There was no obligation to tell the IRB because the ARU is responsible for administering the anti-doping policy for domestic matches," Miller said.

"The IRB considers the Super 12 to be a domestic competition.

"The proper authorities were advised. Only the media were not told the full story but that was to protect the player's right to privacy."

Miller said the ARU took the view that the player was without question an innocent party and the matter did not need to be taken further.

Miller said it would be wrong if Tune, who is expected to play against South Africa here on Saturday, was to face any ban.

"He shouldn't be, no way in the world," Miller said.

He said the drug had been administered to Tune "for the best reasons".

The QRU went through the correct channels in dealing with the issue last year, he said.

"There's no cover-up at all and I don't see how there could be," Miller said.

"Ben's the victim in all of this." Miller said. "This happened 18 months ago."

In response to the announcement that the Tune was prescribed a banned substance as part of the treatment for an infected knee last year, the IRB has requested that the Australian Rugby Union provide a chronology of events in relation to the matter.

The IRB has an established harmonised global anti-doping policy to be applied by all Member Unions, and Unions are required to implement and apply the Boards Anti-Doping regulations.

The regulations incorporate the IOC list of prohibited substances. In addition the IOC policy on medical declarations has been adopted by the IRB.

As part of the IRB's global monitoring of anti-doping matters the regulations also include notice and disclosure obligations on Unions. This is designed to ensure that the IRB is aware of anti-doping cases within Member Unions and that appropriate action is taken consistent with the IRB policies.