Rugby Needs Reputation Boost

Matt Stevens and Justin Harrison, who both played for Bath were suspended recently after testing positive for cocaine, joining Alex Crockett, Michael Lipman and Andrew Higgins other players who left the world of Rugby after missing drug tests. This leaves the sport of rugby with some important issues to address as far as reputation with panel member David Flatman saying that they could have done more to deal with the apparent slide of the sport's reputation. Lipman, Crockett and Higgens were banned for nine months for refusing the drug testing twice, after the club began investigation alleged of drug use at a party at the end of the season.

As for Harrison, the former Australia second row player, he was suspended for eight months after admitting to drug use at the aforementioned party. Matt Steven's sentence was even stiffer, a two year ban after tests found traces of cocaine. Harrison's sentence was much shorter because the alleged drug use wasn't during competition. In response to this activity, Bath has created a panel of members to set an example and watch out for other members of the squad. The panel includes David Flatman, David Barnes, Danny Grewcock, Joe Maddock and Stuart Hooper. Flatman added that they were aware that they were getting a reputation as a bit of a party club, which is a reputation that they didn't want. <

Each one of the members of the five-man board has their own group of players within Bath's senior and academy squads, and that panel member will provide advice, support and mentoring. David Barnes mentioned that this wasn't something that the management created, but was completely the idea of the players. Drug use is currently only in-competition, but the RFU along with Premier Rugby and the Player's Union are trying to make testing contractual off-season as well. Under the current world anti-doping agency's policy, players can only be tested in season.