Nothing wrong with injection I had, says Carter

PARIS: Dan Carter, who has been cleared by the French rugby federation (FFR) of any doping wrongdoing after the French championship final, believes there is nothing wrong with getting an injection of corticoids to treat an injury.

Tests on All Blacks Carter and Joe Rokocoko, as well as their Racing Metro teammate Juan Imhoff, after the Top 14 final they won against Toulon in June, showed the players had tested positive for corticoids, typically used to treat inflammation or joint pain.

“The reason for me taking, which I explained to the medical hearing that we had, was that I played the semi against Clermont,” Carter said. “The next day, I had inflammation in my knee. I had the injection. I rested for two days. And then after that rest, I was fit to play and I played. And I can’t see a problem with that because that’s all within the regulations.”

The FFR opened a disciplinary case against the club last week after Racing denied they had breached anti-doping rules and the players were cleared by the body’s medical committee.

Carter argued that he had tried other treatments before receiving his injection.

“I tried ... these things to help reduce inflammation, like icing and things.

“But you know, when there’s something available to use that’s not outside the anti-doping regulations, then I think it would be silly not to use that,” he said.

Carter revealed that he’d also had a corticoids injection during the 2015 World Cup. – Reuters