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New Zealand club doping convictions continue

(Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

Two club rugby players have been banned from rugby following New Zealand Rugby Judicial Committee hearings into anti-doping charges brought by Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ).

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The charges were brought against Tautini Hopa (Waikato) and Mathew Jeffreys (West Coast) and are from the same MedSafe investigation into the operation of the website NZ Clenbuterol in 2014 and 2015 that has resulted in bans for several rugby players and other athletes since 2017.

Hopa was suspended for four years after he admitted two violations of the Sports Anti-Doping Rules (possession and use of a prohibited substance) for purchasing testosterone enanthate in January 2015.

He acknowledged the purchase and to using a portion of the substance. The Committee backdated the four-year suspension by six months to 26 April 2018, to account for the delay in proceedings.

The sanction for these violations were increased from two to four years at the start of 2015.

Jeffreys was alleged to have purchased Clenbuterol in August 2014 and admitted the allegations of possession and attempted use. He waived his right to a hearing and instead lodged a joint memorandum with DFSNZ proposing a two-year suspension, which the New Zealand Rugby Judicial Committee accepted.

His suspension was backdated to begin on 21 February 2018 to account for his timely admission and the delay in proceedings starting.

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M
MA 3 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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