Australia’s sports drug testing agency will carry out nearly 300 anti-doping checks during this year’s Rugby World Cup, the body’s chief executive said on Wednesday.
John Mendoza told a Senate inquiry that the government-funded Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) had won the tender to manage what organisers have said will be the most stringent anti-doping program ever imposed at rugby’s showcase event.
Mendoza said the program of random checks would involve ”just under 300 tests” during the six-week, 20-nation tournament that opens on October 10 in Sydney.
The International Rugby Board earlier this month declined to reveal how many anti-doping checks were planned so dishonest players could not calculate their chances of using banned drugs undetected as the tournament progressed.
Organisers have said that random ”out of competition” drug tests would be conducted for the first time at this year’s World Cup, including at players’ hotels and training camps.
At least four players will also be randomly selected for testing at each of the tournament’s 48 games.
The budget for the anti-doping program was set at $330 000. – Sapa-AFP