Drugs in Sport
French dismay as rugby tops failed drugs-test table
ESPN Staff
March 28, 2013
Stade Francais back Djibril Camara was hit with a six-month ban last year after missing three mandatory drugs tests © PA Photos
Enlarge
Related Links
Teams: France

Provale, the body which represents rugby players in France, has reacted with disbelief at claims the sport returned the highest proportion of positive doping tests in the country last year.

On Wednesday, French anti-doping officials revealed rugby topped a table of eight sports in returning the most positives. A spokesman said: "If we take into account all the banned molecules present on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list [of banned substances] the sport which registers the highest percentage is rugby."

But Provale told the AFP agency that according to the French Rugby Federation (FFR) only two tests had resulted in lengthy bans. A spokesman for the union told the agency: "If with two doped players rugby is the sport the most affected by doping then that's good news for sport in France."

A joint statement from the FFR, the National League (LNR) and Provale said the announcement was "the amalgam between abnormal results and proven cases of doping," adding: "In a matter this serious all stakeholders must ensure that comments do not unjustifiably cast suspicion on a sport."

Cycling was by some way the most tested sport in France and while it returned the highest percentage of positive tests (14.5%) when non-performance enhancing drugs were removed from the equation rugby came out on top.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices