'Players know they'll be caught if they take drugs'

Dubai: Tim Ricketts will not be able to gauge the success of his work at the Rugby World Cup Sevens until next week - when the full results come through of the 80 drugs tests conducted over the three days of competition.

Since January last year, the International Rugby Board's anti-doping manager estimates that around 700 tests have been carried out, covering the World Sevens Series, men's and women's World Cup Sevens qualifying campaigns and out of competition testing.

No positive results have yet been returned, and Ricketts will be more than happy if that trend continues when the final analysis is delivered from a laboratory in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

He said: "We've been testing seriously at the Sevens since 2002 so everyone knows about what we do, and we've also got players coming through who have been educated at our under-19 and under-20 competitions, exposed to testing and know what to expect.

"Players know that if they are tempted to take anything then they're probably very likely to be caught."

The two-year suspension recently handed out to Bath and England prop Matt Stevens for testing positive for cocaine once again put the spotlight on the use of recreational and performance enhancing drugs in sport.

And although Ricketts said the number of positive tests at the top level remains minimal, he added that there is no room for complacency.

High profile players such as South Africa's Bryan Habana, James Hook of Wales and Argentinian playmaker Felipe Contempomi have lent their names to the Keep Rugby Clean campaign.

And the sport's pioneering work in this field was recognised by the International Olympic Committee when Ricketts was invited to attend the Beijing Games as an independent observer.

He also met over the weekend with IOC officials in Dubai running the rule over the World Cup event.

But for all the educational work of the IRB and its testing programme, the final responsibility remains always with the player.

Ricketts said: "If there is ever any doubt, check it out ... if a test comes back positive, regardless of how something got there, it is the responsibility of the player."