Ask most people who have had to referee a high school rugby match in this country, and they’ll tell you that there are fathers running around who may have gone overboard on the ‘roids.

Sadly, the problem of the rugby players themselves doping has also been spoken about for years, and 2018’s Craven Week tournament turned up some pretty damning results.

Remember, these are players who are still in high school.

According to a report by UK outlet The Times, six players tested positive for steroids.

More below via Stuff:

…there was also evidence some players were starting to take banned stimulants as young as 14 in the hope of bulking up to make a professional career in the game.

The six offenders have received bans ranging from three to four years, and some have lost the professional contracts secured before they were caught.

Given that we lose players straight out of Craven Week each year to lucrative overseas contracts, it’s clear that the pressure to deliver at the tournament can lead to some terrible decision-making.

More on those positive steroid results:

Khalid Galant, the chief executive of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), said rugby needed to confront an issue that showed no signs of disappearing.

Galant told The Times: “Unfortunately South Africa rugby does have a bit of reputation and it probably starts from school age. We thought we would see a plateau or a decrease in positive tests so it is a great concern, as is the fact that each one of the boys tested positive for a cocktail of steroids.

“The deterrent effect of testing seems to have had no effect, and it is also concerning that it appears in some cases the steroids were being injected through a needle.

“Parents and coaches also appear to be complicit. In one case a boy’s mother wrote an affidavit saying she injected the kid with ampoules as she though it was vitamin B.”

Some cases involved using different anabolic products like nandrolone and testosterone. There was also evidence that the breast cancer drug tamoxifen was being used to counteract a side-effect of steroids that involves the development of breast tissue.

What kind of a coach or parent is willing to go to these lengths? That’s frightening.

Testing at Craven Week also only catches the so-called “stupid doper”, and those who are crafty can easily temper their use ahead of the tournament to avoid detection.

It’s also worth mentioning that there were only 122 tests conducted at Craven Week, meaning that roughly one in 20 resulted in a positive result.

In 2014, there were three positive tests, along with five in 2015, four in 2016, and three in 2017.

Galant says that steroid use is a result of a “win at all costs” approach, which has created a “toxic” culture at Craven Week. Kinda like the Australian cricket team, then.

Whatever the reasoning, something needs to change.

To finish, don’t forget that some kids are just born bigger than others.

[source:stuff]