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All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in November last year.
Tuipulotu has played in 12 Tests for the All Blacks and made 34 appearances for the Blues. He signed a four-year contract with New Zealand Rugby in 2016.
“(We) notified that a doping control sample provided by Patrick Tuipulotu had, reportedly, revealed the presence of a specified substance listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2016 Prohibited List,” said New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association in a joint statement.
“NZR and NZRPA can confirm that Patrick was shocked by the test result and is working hard to identify the source of the Specified Substance.
“In accordance with World Rugby Anti-Doping Regulations, Patrick remains provisionally suspended pending resolution of this matter.
“Further to these regulations, NZR and NZPRA are bound by strict confidentiality obligations.”
Tuipulotu missed the All Blacks’ end-of-season match in Paris last year, going home early due to what was described as personal reasons.
He has not yet been sighted in pre-season training with his Super Rugby club, the Blues, who last week said his absence was the result of an ongoing personal matter.
It appears that the All Blacks were notified of the positive test prior to the match in Paris.
The circumstances surrounding Tuipulotu’s absence in the time since have not been aired publicly, and are reportedly of a sensitive nature.
The process of assessing Tuipulotu’s positive test result and potentially handing down a punishment appears to be ongoing, leading some to speculate that results of a test on the ‘B’ sample may not yet be known.
It is possible that Tuipulotu could miss the entire 2017 season both at Super Rugby and international level if suspended.
However, there is also a chance that he could avoid suspension on compassionate grounds, depending on the circumstances around his situation.
UPDATE: Tuipulotu has since been cleared after the analysis of his B-Sample.
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