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Rugby Player Testosterone Positive Result of Drinking Alcohol
[December 5th, 2008] by Millard Baker
Rugby player Scott MacLeod produced an elevated testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E) ratio in a recent anti-doping test but Scottish Rugby dropped the doping charge after they determined that the elevated testosterone ratio was caused by drinking excess alcohol (”MacLeod doping charge is dropped,” November 24).
Gregor Nicholson, Scottish Rugby’s international administration manager, said: “It has been a long and frustrating case for Scott MacLeod, some aspects of which demonstrate an urgent need for a review of T/E (the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone) protocols and whether A samples should be routinely analysed for the existence of alcohol, ultimately by WADA but also by UK Sport.
“Scottish Rugby is also making representations to the International Rugby Board in relation to how the IRB’s anti-doping regulations (and therefore our own anti-doping regulations) deal with the complicated and uncertain nature of such cases.
“Until then, all players who are subject to doping control, including out-of-competition unannounced testing, should take heed of the very real danger of acute alcohol ingestion causing a temporary elevation of their T/E level, to the extent that they could face having to formally explain, to a legal standard, the reason for the finding in order to avoid a doping charge.”
Of course, cyclist Floyd Landis also had an elevated testosterone-epitestosterone ratio but was unable to get the charged dismissed after spending millions of dollars and presenting testimony from scientific experts.
Many feel that UK Sport’s ruling does not comply with the WADA Anti-Doping Code. WADA plans to appeal the decision allowing MacLeod to continue playing.
Tags: epitestosterone, rugby, scotland, scott macleod, testosterone
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