Steffon Armitage provisionally suspended after drug test result

[Drick]

Steffon Armitage provisionally suspended after drug test result

Toulon and former England flanker Steffon Armitage has been provisionally suspended after producing an abnormal doping test result.
The issue arose following a test taken after the Top 14 final on 9 June.
The club say the result was caused by approved painkillers and anti-inflammatories for back pain.
According to reports in France, Armitage will appear before the French rugby anti-doping commission on 21 August.

more - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18995125

[Point]

Ah the old back pain, it could easily happen....

[Evil Omer]

Ah the old back pain, it could easily happen....

Yeah it's not like players and officials are given lists of what it's ok to take or not that would help them know

[the plastic paddy]

Wondered about the spike in form.

[The Outlaw]

first of many

[Balla Boy]

Wondered about the spike in form.

Not sure he did have a spike in form, to be honest. He's always been a strong brute and handy on the floor. I think he looked better in France because everyone in the Top 14 is currently commited to running straight into the opposition whenever they get the ball. He lapped it up.

[Cowboy]

Not sure he did have a spike in form, to be honest. He's always been a strong brute and handy on the floor. I think he looked better in France because everyone in the Top 14 is currently commited to running straight into the opposition whenever they get the ball. He lapped it up.

Biggest arse in rugby, actually his brother is the biggest arse in rugby, but stef has the biggest arse in rugby.

[Balla Boy]

Biggest arse in rugby, actually his brother is the biggest arse in rugby, but stef has the biggest arse in rugby.

I am constantly amazed at the mobility of the guy, given that he's built like a slightly more lithe Freddie Puc.

[Cowboy]

I am constantly amazed at the mobility of the guy, given that he's built like a slightly more lithe Freddie Puc.

He's bloody handy on his day though, he has the skills and the power. What will be interesting to see is if anyone else on that team gets nailed as well. Fellas don't usually juice alone

[The Outlaw]

He's bloody handy on his day though, he has the skills and the power. What will be interesting to see is if anyone else on that team gets nailed as well. Fellas don't usually juice alone

I'd imagine there is a few juicers on every rugby team in the world in fairnes.. It hardly breaking news.

[Balla Boy]

He's bloody handy on his day though, he has the skills and the power. What will be interesting to see is if anyone else on that team gets nailed as well. Fellas don't usually juice alone

If he was juicing, of course. Given the laxity of the drug testing regime in rugby, I'm not sure why anyone would be foolish enough to do anything that might get picked up. You can comfortably drive a bus through the holes in the coverage, so why would anyone take a chance?

[The Outlaw]

If he was juicing, of course. Given the laxity of the drug testing regime in rugby, I'm not sure why anyone would be foolish enough to do anything that might get picked up. You can comfortably drive a bus through the holes in the coverage, so why would anyone take a chance?

just got careless I'd say. Steroids are used widely in amateur rugby especially in Wales and NZ. Gods knows how rotten the pro game is. With players expected to play more games and be constantly patched up its an inevitable by-product like all pro sports

[Cowboy]

If he was juicing, of course. Given the laxity of the drug testing regime in rugby, I'm not sure why anyone would be foolish enough to do anything that might get picked up. You can comfortably drive a bus through the holes in the coverage, so why would anyone take a chance?

Very very true, I'm not saying he is juicing either, merely musing on the possibility that if there's one there may be more.

[John123]

Has anyone ever considered how Munster look a little different to other teams physically in recent years? I certainly don't believe that strength and conditioning is just being done better at other teams...

[Cowboy]

Has anyone ever considered how Munster look a little different to other teams physically in recent years? I certainly don't believe that strength and conditioning is just being done better at other teams...

You think our neighbours (or even our own) are enhancing? I'm sure it's nationalism naïveté on my behalf but I'd be heartbroken if I thought our Irish lads were juicing. Genuinely heartbroken

[Balla Boy]

You think our neighbours (or even our own) are enhancing? I'm sure it's nationalism naïveté on my behalf but I'd be heartbroken if I thought our Irish lads were juicing. Genuinely heartbroken

It's tricky. I look at some guys and think they must be doing something. But then I look at other players and think that they're clearly not in a system where it's systemic. ROG has managed to put on about half a stone in the course of his professional career as far as I can tell. This a first choice test player with a much observed lack of physical presence. BOD has struggled to add bulk in any sort of effective way - he just got a bit chunky when he tried to get bigger.

I fully believe that it's widespread just below the pro-level, and where guys may be looking for that leg up. But I remain to be convinced that it's used widely at pro level - if only because there are so many guys clearly struggling to stack the weight they could use.

When I ask myself "what weight would Ian Nagle be if he was an AB", I find it hard to believe that our young pros are strapped to a drip.

[Cowboy]

It's tricky. I look at some guys and think they must be doing something. But then I look at other players and think that they're clearly not in a system where it's systemic. ROG has managed to put on about half a stone in the course of his professional career as far as I can tell. This a first choice test player with a much observed lack of physical presence. BOD has struggled to add bulk in any sort of effective way - he just got a bit chunky when he tried to get bigger.

I fully believe that it's widespread just below the pro-level, and where guys may be looking for that leg up. But I remain to be convinced that it's used widely at pro level - if only because there are so many guys clearly struggling to stack the weight they could use.

When I ask myself "what weight would Ian Nagle be if he was an AB", I find it hard to believe that our young pros are strapped to a drip.

In a roundabout way this may be a contributor to the 'irish players develop later' argument too

[fitzy73]

I'm a bit behind the curve on this, but aren't rugby players subject to the same world anti doping agency tests as other athletes?

[Hellboy]

That's bull****... Another FFR and Midi Olympique trick to **** on Toulon on their dirty open war..
The pills he took are NOT forbidden. It's on the green list of products.
That's Dolipran with Codein.
He then said he took some, the doctors said he took some, the Antidoping Agency was warned.
So the tests showed an infinitesimal part of codein muted in morphin by player's body.
Everybody knows he can't be suspended for that.
But big titles sell papers, and everything's good to put the blame on Toulon.

Though, we are still waiting for a deliberation on the Hayman's suspension file by a FFR-LNR-ERC commission... After they refused to take a decision in June, then met again early July keeping Hayman's lawyer out, unlike the rules they wrote themselves...

Remember Hayman was yellow carded during Amlin final versus... Biarritz player NGwenia...
Remember that discipline commission is presided by... Biarritz former president Marcel Martin...
Remember, Hayman was yellow carded and suspended of Top14 final and for 4 games....

While Tekori, Maestri, Gorgodze red carded were... even not suspended once... unlike the rules that then need a minimum suspension.
Red carded Biarritz lock Jerome Thion was suspended but only off season, during his holidays, so he could play the first games...

All clowns.

[The Outlaw]

I'm a bit behind the curve on this, but aren't rugby players subject to the same world anti doping agency tests as other athletes?

wouldnt be tested as often

[John123]

And does it even matter if they are tested regularly? I genuinely believe athletes who are caught defend their name so vigorously as they are convinced the test shouldn't have been positive anyway due to the precautions they have taken in order to pass!

Also I think we'd be very foolish to think all Irish players are clean.

[Thorns]

I'd imagine there is a few juicers on every rugby team in the world in fairnes.. It hardly breaking news.

A few??!! Have you seen the SA team recently. 7/10 international players in the world are on it, even our lads.

Have heard from 2 reliable sources on 2 different irish fowards who are on elephant like cycles.

[Hellboy]

Midi Olympique's website "Rugbyrama" who pushed Armitage and Toulon in the mud
admit now that the product detected (Dolipran w. Codein) is NOT doping and is NOT FORBIDDEN
now they apologies to the player and his family...

Bast€rds.

[John123]

A few??!! Have you seen the SA team recently. 7/10 international players in the world are on it, even our lads.

Have heard from 2 reliable sources on 2 different irish fowards who are on elephant like cycles.

I wouldn't doubt the steroids part but "two reliable sources"...come out of it.

I think where you have to be a little suspicious is when you see guys who maintain incredible size with a bodyfat of 8% and below.

[Balla Boy]

I'm a bit behind the curve on this, but aren't rugby players subject to the same world anti doping agency tests as other athletes?

I'm not sure that there's even off season drug testing. There certainly wasn't for years, even thought that's supposedly the "weight gain" stage.

Does anyone know if there is now?

[fitzy73]

I saw this on the Beeb site the other day ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18887653

Is be surprised if most rugby clubs didn't do something similar. I wonder if the "eye of newt" supplements being given to individual players is the source of these juicing rumours?

Obviously there is also the other question about the value, in performance terms, of such supplements?

[Thorns]

I wouldn't doubt the steroids part but "two reliable sources"...come out of it.

I think where you have to be a little suspicious is when you see guys who maintain incredible size with a bodyfat of 8% and below.

Yes, very reliable.

Body fat is only one aspect, theres a steroid for everything. "Naturally" the human body will put on .5lb of solid muscle a month with perfect diet and training. This is a FACT and widely accepted by most. Now you take a young foward looking to beef up over the summer in order to compete with the best and he puts 20lbs lean on over 2 months.....well you do the maths.

[John123]

Fair enough re your sources.

I would say .5lbs per month is accurate for someone who has been lifting for a while. I would argue a young forward with naturally high testosterone could easily outstrip this. Having said that I agree with you re the maths...

As an aside, I always laugh when a "Hollywood" actor says thay packed on 30lbs of lean muscle for a role in 6 months...

[The Outlaw]

Fair enough re your sources.

I would say .5lbs per month is accurate for someone who has been lifting for a while. I would argue a young forward with naturally high testosterone could easily outstrip this. Having said that I agree with you re the maths...

As an aside, I always laugh when a "Hollywood" actor says thay packed on 30lbs of lean muscle for a role in 6 months...

A lot of hollywood actors take HGH apparently so that would explain it.

As regards our lads- well there are some.

Drug testing is a farce in rugby. Even back to when Ben Tune tested positive 10 years ago and it was brushed under the carpet. that case really set the template.

[busby]

Himself and his bro have to be two of the biggest scumbags in the sport at present.