Rugby World Cup 2015 Anti-Doping Organisation Appointed

The globally-renowned anti-doping organisation will be responsible for the execution of an unprecedented sample collection and analysis programme that will operate across the 20 participating teams over the 44-day tournament.

The programme builds on the targeted testing programme that has operated across all teams since the last Rugby World Cup in 2011.

A World Anti-Doping Code signatory, UKAD will work in partnership with World Rugby to supply qualified and experienced Doping Control Officers who will be responsible for collecting blood and urine samples throughout England 2015.

All samples collected will be sent for analysis at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory at King’s College in London.

World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Doping is one of the biggest threats to the integrity of sport and World Rugby is committed to a zero-tolerance policy towards drug cheats in rugby. The appointment of a globally renowned anti-doping organisation to deliver the Rugby World Cup 2015 programme underscores this stance.”

“UKAD and World Rugby share the same values of integrity, discipline and respect and in addition to an ‘anytime, anywhere’ approach to testing, we will also be using Rugby World Cup 2015 as global educational platform of the importance of maintaining an even playing field through our Keep Rugby Clean day on 26 September. We are looking forward to working with UKAD on what will be an important area of the Rugby World Cup 2015 delivery.”

Details of the Rugby World Cup 2015 testing programme and Keep Rugby Clean day will be announced shortly. For UKAD the appointment represents an opportunity to build on a similar service expertly delivered for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and other major sporting events, and deliver a key player welfare programme for the largest sporting event of 2015.

UK Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said: “UKAD is one of the leading anti-doping agencies in the world and I am pleased that they have been appointed to deliver the testing programme for next month’s Rugby World Cup. I am also encouraged that World Rugby and UKAD will also use the tournament to highlight the importance of maintaining the integrity of sport and I urge rugby players and fans to get behind Keep Rugby Clean day on 26 September.”

UKAD Chief Executive Nicole Sapstead said: “We are delighted to be appointed by World Rugby to play an integral part in one of the biggest sporting events in the UK this year. We look forward to working with World Rugby, Rugby World Cup Limited, England Rugby 2015 and the teams themselves to successfully deliver a robust testing programme.

“UKAD played a pivotal role in both London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 and we will use and build on, that experience as we plan and deliver a player focussed anti-doping testing programme for this year’s Rugby World Cup.

“UKAD’s primary goal is to protect clean sport and give sports fans, and all those involved in the event, the confidence that the performances they see on the pitch are solely achieved through hard work, skill, determination and dedication.”

VISIT THE WORLD RUGBY KEEP RUGBY CLEAN WEBSITE HERE>>

Commended by WADA for its educational programmes, World Rugby is a firm believer in an education-deterrent approach as part of its overall Anti-Doping programme and every player, coach and medic at Rugby World Cup 2015 will have undertaken mandatory education in addition to that provided by Unions, Players’ Associations and Clubs to emphasise key points.

World Rugby Anti-Doping Manager Ilaria Baudo said: “The fight against doping begins with education and last year we provided face-to-face interactive education to 3,400 elite players, while more than 3,600 completed online training, taking the total of educated players to more than 13,000 since the last Rugby World Cup.”

World Rugby anti-doping rule violations are down year on year globally within the World Rugby testing programme, demonstrating the importance of education.

In 2014 more anti-doping tests (2,021 tests) were carried out by World Rugby last year than at any other point since testing began, underlining the federation’s commitment to maintaining a level playing field in the game.

Details of the unprecedented Rugby World Cup 2015 Testing Programme will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information on World Rugby’s testing programme and educational resources go to www.keeprugbyclean.com>>.

Quick link: Watch World Rugby’s educational video here featuring Carlo Del Fava.

Quick link: World Rugby announces record anti-doping investment

Quick link: 2014 World Rugby anti-doping testing programme results

Notes to editors

About Rugby World Cup: Rugby World Cup is the financial engine behind unprecedented investment and growth in rugby worldwide. The net Rugby World Cup surplus from the commercial success of France 2007 and New Zealand 2011 has enabled World Rugby to invest more than £150 million in the game between 2009 and 2012 and commit an anticipated injection of more than £180 million between 2013 and 2016 to underwrite a large range of major funding initiatives including annual national union grants and strategic investments focusing on growing participation and increasing competition across all 120 national member unions affiliated to World Rugby.

About England 2015: Rugby World Cup 2015, hosted in England between 18 September and 31 October, will be a celebration of rugby and its unique character-building values, exciting and inspiring the nation and the world to play and support the game. England Rugby 2015 are the organising committee for Rugby World Cup 2015 and will deliver the six-week tournament, hosted in 10 English cities and in Cardiff, Wales. Thirteen match venues will play host to the 48 games that will celebrate and engage more than two million spectators, including more than 400,000 international travelling fans.

About UK Anti-Doping (UKAD): UK Anti-Doping is responsible for ensuring sports bodies in the UK are compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code through implementation and management of the UK’s National Anti-Doping Policy.

UK Anti-Doping’s functions include an education and information programme, athlete testing across more than 50 Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports, intelligence management and exclusive results management authority for the determination of anti-doping rule violations. For more information on what we do, visit www.ukad.org.uk.

For more information on how to purchase official travel and hospitality programmes, visit www.rugbyworldcup.com/supportertours and www.rugbyworldcup.com/hospitality