Attention all Renegades…
It is very important that all Rugby Renegade players subject to drug testing check the status of any medications they take. Even if you are not in a testing pool we would still advise you to closely scrutinise and check any medication or supplement to ensure that it is ok for you to take and giving you the benefit that you think it is! We have written an extensive guide on Nutrition for Rugby Players where you can find out more about gettging your diet and supplements right.
Please note, Some medications for common medical conditions, such as cold & flu, asthma or hay fever, may contain prohibited substances. And a number of supplements have been shown to contain contaminants that are not declared on ingredient labels!
There are two main ways to check products that you may be taking:
Checking Medications: Global DRO
Players should remember to check medications carefully before using them, regardless of how familiar they are with the product. Players, clubs, coaches, and support staff can all check the status of licensed medication or constituent ingredient using the Global DRO website.
This is a very well constructed website and if you are using it to check medications pay attention to the country of purchase. The same product can contain different ingredients depending on where it has been bought.
Please note that Global DRO cannot provide information on the status of any supplements. For all supplements, Informed-Sport is a quality assurance programme for sports nutrition products, suppliers to the sports nutrition industry, and supplement manufacturing facilities.
Checking Supplments: Informed Sport
The programme certifies that all nutritional supplements and/or ingredients that bear the Informed-Sport logo have been tested for banned substances. Renegade athletes choosing to use supplements are encouraged to use the search function on the Informed-Sport website to find products that have been through this rigorous certification process.
Remember… Ignorance is not a defence!!
You can find out more information on the UK Anti-Doping Website
Or, for athletes outside of the UK, the World Anti-Doping Agency
