French ace Magne suspects drug use
"I am a fitness fanatic and I work very hard to ready myself for the big matches, but it's true that when I see some players making progress in double-quick time, I wonder how they can manage it," said Magne, one of the game's best openside flankers. "I have a suspicion, but for the time being I prefer to go no further."
Players at the World Cup will be tested as early as next week for the designer anabolic steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG). Rugby's anti-doping body said all samples taken during the rest of the tournament would be tested for the drug and possibly some samples already taken would be re-tested.
The decision to start immediate testing, followed an announcement by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that 30 IOC-accredited laboratories worldwide had been provided with details on how to detect the drug.
Cup organisers say more than half the players competing at the tournament were dope-tested in the lead-up to the competition and at least two players from each of the 20 competing teams are randomly tested after each game. There have been no positive tests so far.
- Julian Linden
