THE Rugby Football Union has welcomed the revision of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Code as part of the union’s commitment to drug-free rugby.

RFU Anti-Doping Officer Gavin Dovey has worked with UK Sport and the International Rugby Board on the 18-month review processes which culminated in the Third World Conference on Doping in Sport approving the revisions in Madrid earlier this month.

The Madrid Resolution is scheduled to come into force on January 1 2009 and includes:

·           Four-year sanctions instead of two where there is ‘aggravating circumstances’ such as the athlete being part of a sophisticated doping ring

·          Potential for reduced sanctions for certain specified substances, e.g. if the athlete can prove how the substance entered their body and that it was not taken for performance enhancing reasons

·           Reduced sanctions by up to 75% for those athletes who provide ‘substantial assistance’ to doping authorities catching other drug cheats

At the Conference, more than 1,500 representatives of public authorities,  sport, the anti-doping community, athletes, observers, and the media, convened to review the major advances that have been made in the fight against doping since WADA's inception in 1999, and what strategies will be needed in the future.

Dovey, who attended the conference and is the only full-time Anti-Doping Officer appointed by a union of the IRB, said: “We have felt for a long time that the Code should focus more on those who intentionally dope to enhance performance and the revised Code reflects this approach.

“We have been actively involved in the review process, liaising with the IRB and UK Sport in putting our views to WADA and we look forward to continuing to do so in the important areas of athlete whereabouts and Therapeutic Use Exemptions.

“We were also encouraged to see the Code place increased importance on education and as such we are committed to further supporting UK Sport’s 100% ME programme, which provides high-quality information and advice on anti-doping and promotes the positive attitudes of drug-free athletes, such as our ambassadors Jonny Wilkinson and Simon Amor, who have reached the highest level."