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.
Jacko
Guest
Thats what "GEEZ IT WORKED" means
Roddy
Guest
Good to hear that Patrick has been exonerated by a clear B sample and World Rugby and WADA have stated he has no case to answer. Be nice if the media left well enough alone till all the facts are in play- mud never really washes off in this scenario and it must have been very tough on his family... "your Dad's a drug cheat" etc etc etc.
Jamez
Roar Rookie
To all the All Black haters out there: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/rugby/all-black-patrick-tuipulotu-cleared-doping .....have a nice day ;-)
Thee IceMan
Guest
Isolate this!!! All Black Patrick Tuipulotu cleared of doping https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/rugby/all-black-patrick-tuipulotu-cleared-doping
Hello Everybody.
Guest
No its not.
Comrade Bear
Roar Rookie
Nice!
Marto
Guest
^^ I rest my case Jacko.. Systematic drug use from Ritchie ....You`ve just confirmed it ..hahahahaha
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Chris, under WADA policy & privacy provisions the NZRU & the player are basically gagged until their investigation is complete. No cover up was undertaken it's just they were unable to comment at all.
JimmyB
Guest
Deary me, seems like you've got one on both shoulders. Sad really.
richard
Guest
Key word is potential,nothing confirmed.But if your media can make something of it,they won't hesitate.After all,the british,sorry englsh press have a rep to uphold as the grubbiest in the world.As for having a chip,look at yourelf.Someone dares to say something against old blighty and you are in like flynn.You are right..it is a chip.
JimmyB
Guest
Story about an All Black being suspended for a potential drug violation. I know, let's have a pop at the English press. If it looks like a chip, sounds like a chip...well you know the rest.
piru
Guest
There's no effective way to test for magic however
richard
Guest
Well aware of it.no chip - just an observation.While the Irish press was the main instigator,the English press was quite happy to play along.Let's leave it at that.
JimmyB
Guest
You do know that Ireland isn't part of the UK right? I know it's hard but do yourself a favour and park the chip.
Chris
Guest
The end result will be what it will be, but why did this take three months to come out? Given the tone on things at the moment is more dumb mistake than drug cheat, surely hiding it behind 'personal issue' just makes it look like there is more to this than there actually may be. You would think that all professional sports organisations would have a crisis plan in place for this sort of thing, however the one employed here seems to be a poor one. This would be less of a story of they had owned it up front.
Jacko
Guest
Geez it worked. He was the greatest player I have seen
Marto
Guest
McCaw had been sprinkling performance enhancing drugs on his cereal every morning for years and years...It`s common knowledge
Sam
Guest
Leaving aside the specifics of this case (we do not yet have the full story), it is -- unfortunately -- naïve to think this isn't happening in rugby union around the world. There is too much money at stake, both for the unions and the players. The temptation, especially for players/teams on the fringe or those getting a bit older and looking for an extra 5%, must be huge. We've seen in the last year or so that it happens in the NRL, in the AFL... as I said, naïve to think it is happening in our sport too. No other point to make really... a bit of a depressing thought for a Monday morning I guess. Still the Superbowl is about to start (and how appropriate that is given the topic at hand here...)
richard
Guest
Psychobabble.The UK press don't need any opportunity to stick it to NZ - cue the palaver after last years Dublin test.See how it pans out.
Jock Cornet
Guest
The reds need to get on something as they will be perennial spooners with a lot of golden oldies in their squad. Everyone users enhancers and supplements whether they are legal or not is bye the bye.