Tuipulotu’s ‘one in 10,000’ case
Drug Free Sport New Zealand boss Graeme Steel says Patrick Tuipulotu’s doping case is a ‘‘one in 10,000’’ occurrence after the All Blacks lock was cleared of taking a banned substance.
Fairfax Media broke news that Tuipulotu tested positive for a specified substance last November, and was subsequently suspended from taking part in all rugby.
NZ Rugby said at the time Tuipulotu was sent home from the All Blacks’ end-of-year tour for personal reasons.
On Sunday NZ Rugby confirmed Tuipulotu’s A sample tested positive, but yesterday announced it had received notification from Six Nations of the B-sample results which cleared him of any wrongdoing.
The Us-based World Antidoping Agency (Wada)-accredited laboratory Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory in Salt Lake City confirmed no presence of a specified substance listed on the 2016 prohibited list.
The 24-year-old had faced a ban of up to two years but, having been cleared, is now free to return to training with the Blues immediately.
After 30 years in the industry, Drug Free Sport New Zealand boss Steel was staggered by the situation.
‘‘In all the tests we’ve done which is many, many thousands I can remember one or perhaps two,’’ he said. ‘‘It would be one in 10,000.’’
Steel said there were two possible explanations, one of which could be a fault with lab testing.
‘‘You look for tiny amounts of these substances; a teaspoon in Sydney Harbour.
‘‘If you find something that is right on the threshold the lab will apply a margin for error. The next bit of the urine sample it may be that it is not exactly the same. It may have settled so it may be slightly different but out the other way.
‘‘One may come up above and one may come up below. That’s one explanation - and the other is the lab just got it wrong in the first place.
‘‘It absolutely negates the A sample. There should be no stain or questioning he is in the clear.
‘‘It’s extraordinary but it does demonstrate why there is an A and a B sample.
‘‘The other rare thing about this is how the hell it took so long to get the B sample analysed.’’
World Rugby have been informed and has confirmed it will not be taking the matter any further, NZR said.
Tuipulotu said he was relieved that the process, while incredibly stressful, had revealed the truth. ‘‘This has been a challenging and difficult time for me, my partner, family and team mates, and I am grateful for their support,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m pleased the matter is now closed, with my reputation and integrity intact, and I look forward to getting back into training and an exciting year of rugby.’’
NZR chief executive Steve Tew welcomed closure on the case. ‘‘This is an important and welcomed conclusion for both Patrick and for rugby.
‘‘We are pleased that a robust process has been undertaken, and that he has been fully cleared. ‘‘There is no room for doping in rugby, and we take our responsibility to keep the game clean very seriously,’’ he said.
Players’ Association boss Rob Nichol said it had always been confident Tuipulotu would be cleared.
‘‘To be honest, there is an element of frustration, given the initial result and publicity, but at least people now know Patrick did nothing wrong,’’ he said.