Zimbabwe Rugby Union to hold anti-doping workshop

will coincide with the final leg of the Spar Sevens Summer Series but, according to the ZRU general manager Sifiso Made, the event is being hosted in conjunction with the Sevens franchise.
Three Under-20 players were found to have used banned substances in the world tournament and this had a negative psychological impact on the rest of the team coming out with just one win.
“Like all nations that play rugby we have to conform to the conditions of the International Rugby Board who are running the Keep Rugby Clean campaign which we have to be part of.
“We are also hoping to engage with South Africa rugby and professional doctors especially those with a sporting background while the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee and Sports Commission come in as partners as well.
“This workshop is mostly aimed at team managers, team doctors and administrators because if the men at the top of the sport are not able to understand it then it will be difficult to filter the information down to the players.
“We will have a bigger workshop later that will cater for players especially at a young age when they are still in schools because that is where most of the peer pressure comes from,” said Made.
Some of the performance enhancing packs, steroids or shacks that are sold are believed to be contaminated.
Medical doctor, Nick Munyonga, who is part of the World Anti Doping Agency Zimbabwe Commission, said this posed a serious threat. From a medical professional perspective, it is difficult to recommend supplements to an athlete because the manufacture of supplements is not regulated. Most supplements are contaminated with banned substances.
“It is not possible in our setting to know which supplements are contaminated and which ones are not. What is written on the leaflet of these supplements may NOT be what is contained in the supplement.
“The code therefore has what is called a strict liability principle and athletes therefore take the supplements at their own risk.
“Some countries with resources can send samples of these supplements for testing and if no banned substances are detected they can then give their athletes. I advise proper diet and training can make one achieve at the highest level.
“Side effects have serious consequences resulting in death in most cases. Substances are placed on the prohibited list because they are performance enhancing, dangerous to the health of the athlete and are against the spirit of sport.
“Any two of the above will lead to a substance being banned and most fall out because they are performance enhancing and are dangerous to the health of the athlete but above all say no to doping,” said Munyonga.