CLUB rugby in Victoria will monitor support staff within its clubs more closely in the aftermath of revelations that performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) have infiltrated Australian sport at the top level.
The Victorian Rugby Union, governing body of community rugby in this state, wants to ensure the use of PEDs does not filter down to the club level or its representative teams.
VRU community rugby manager Charlie Bamford plans to meet club officials in the lead-up to the season to discuss clubs putting their medical staff on a register that the VRU can access easily.
“Given the recent reports that have been tabled, this will be a topic of discussion and we will be placing an emphasis on the clubs to ensure they are exercising their duty of care in these areas,” he told the Weekly.
“We will be asking them to – with the issues we’ve faced in the last week – register all their medical people so that we are across that.”
The VRU is adamant that PED use is not an issue at club rugby level.
There are strict guidelines in place that players and clubs must adhere to when it comes to the use of banned substances.
“I honestly don’t think it’s [PEDs] a problem in Victoria [rugby] at all,” Bamford said.
“There’s always players that look for supplements to improve themselves. Providing those supplements are not on any banned list, good luck to them.
“We’ve had no recorded cases of that.”
The VRU, as an off-shoot of the Australian Rugby Union, performs under the guidelines of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA).
The players at all local clubs have to abide by ASADA rules and could be tested for performance-enhancing or illicit drugs at any time.
Bamford admitted that VRU players are tested rarely, if at all.
But, he reiterated, testers could turn up tomorrow at a local club in pre-season or in-season.
“ASADA guys can turn up at changerooms, show their badges and perform tests at any time. They can select a player if they like, they can even do a random draw.
“The clubs are aware of that, they quite understand that and it can happen.
“They have to be aware that that’s the situation and they need to ensure they are monitoring their players and monitoring their medical and fitness staff to ensure these things are observed.”
