Half of Young Sables Team Test Positive

According to Planet Rugby website, the International Rugby Board (IRB) anti-doping unit conducted extensive tests in tournament in Utah, screening urine and blood samples from all teams.

At least 13 ‘Young Sables’ who were randomly tested provided samples containing performance enhancing substances, the IRB said.

According to reports, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union fears that a sports drink used by players when they got to the US could have been responsible for the positive tests. The players are reportedly adamant that they did not take banned substances knowingly.

Zimbabwe lost all their group matches to Japan, Georgia and Canada.

The IRB’s head of communications, Dominic Rumbles, said the world body had a zero-tolerance stance with regards to doping and that all players who tested positive will be provisionally banned from the sport.

‘In the event of a positive result, IRB will not comment until parties are notified and final hearings into any such matter are concluded,’ said Dominic.