Having my name next to the word ‘steroid’ kills me
Rokocoko scarred by drug slur
WHEN the storm broke, Joe Rokocoko had to hurriedly call home to reassure his tearful mother. Far away in Auckland, Wana was worried after hearing her son was caught up in an alleged doping controversy.
There were other frantic calls and texts a fortnight ago when it emerged that traces of corticosteroids had been detected in samples provided by three Racing 92 players — Rokocoko, Dan Carter and Juan Imhoff — following the French Top 14 final last June. Earlier this week, the trio were cleared of any wrongdoing, having proved that they had adhered to regulations with the use of out- of- competition cortisone injections to aid recovery from injuries.
The 33- year- old former All Blacks wing is concerned for his reputation, despite being cleared. But first of all, he was concerned about the impact on his family. ‘It was tough when it came out,’ Rokocoko told Sportsmail yesterday. ‘I woke up to see missed calls and text messages, from my mum in New Zealand and my brother, who is working in Australia. My mates were all trying to find out how I was, too.
‘I rang up my old lady and she was tearful, because all she had heard was the news on the radio. Back in New Zealand, something like that is massive, so she wanted to hear it from me.
‘She hadn’t had the full story and it’s not good when the title of it just says “steroids”. To have your name next to the word “steroids” just kind of kills you.’
For the player himself — a Fiji-born flyer who scored 46 tries in 68 Tests for the All Blacks between 2003 and 2010 — the ordeal has been infuriating and has left a stain, despite the not-guilty verdict.
‘I’m angry and disappointed with the whole process,’ he said. ‘Having my name put out there like that… I would fully deserve it if I was guilty of doping. But to be named like that for doing something you are allowed to do — that is disappointing.
‘It does create damage because I am 33 and they are saying, “This (doping) is the thing that keeps these guys going”. You spend so long working so hard and building up your reputation then… this. But you can’t beat the system. You would be stupid to be doing something wrong.
‘In my case, it was because of inflammation in my ankle. I had the injection in the week before the semi ( against Clermont Auvergne). I hadn’t recovered from the Toulouse game the week before. The swelling didn’t go down so I had the injection. That injection wasn’t going to make me run faster or jump higher. It was just for easing the pain.’
Despite the trouble he has endured, Rokocoko supports the drive to keep rugby clean from performance- enhancing drug use with rigorous testing. He is confident that the sport does not have a problem of that nature. ‘I don’t think it is something that is in rugby,’ he said.
‘There are random tests all the time. Guys come to your home at six o’clock in the morning. A guy came into training here yesterday and tested 13 of us. I got tested again after my last game at home, two weeks ago. It was a “random” test and they tested 11 and 14 — me and Imhoff. Very random! You just can’t hide.’
Now is the time for moving on, which Rokocoko will do on Sunday in another Champions Cup encounter with Leicester at Welford Road.
Carter was training yesterday, after an injury absence, and is expected to make his comeback. Rokocoko and Imhoff are poised to carry on wreaking havoc, free from suspicion. Back in Auckland, Wana can relax. The storm has passed, but it has left its mark.