Four New Zealand rugby players have been handed lengthy bans for doping offences, including a former Black Fern and an Under-20 international.

Zoe Berry, who played one Test for the New Zealand women’s team against England in 2012, has been given a four-year suspension, along with Glen Roberton – who represented the All Blacks’ youth side as well as the Sevens team.

Ben Pedersen, a club-level player, has also been suspended for two years.

All three were banned for possessing and in some cases using or attempting to use the banned drug Clenbuterol, which aids fat loss but is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list.

The fourth player, Ben Qauqau-Dodds, was charged with possession and use or attempted use of the anabolic steroid metandienone, and was hit with a 21-month ban.

As well as being on Wada’s prohibited substance list, the drugs are also stated among New Zealand Sports Anti-Doping Rules. All four individuals – who were playing club rugby at the time of the offences – pleaded guilty to at least one of the offences.

New Zealand Rugby’s general manager, Neil Sorensen, said in a statement: “This serves as a reminder that all athletes have to be very careful about what they put into their bodies.”

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Two former New Zealand representatives are among four players suspended for doping offences, the country’s rugby authorities said Wednesday.

Zoe Berry played one Test for the Black Ferns against England in 2012, and Glen Robertson turned out for the New Zealand under-20 side in 2010 and 2011 and is a former member of the New Zealand Sevens squad.

Both were suspended for four years.

The two others, Ben Qauqau-Dodds and Rhys Pedersen, both played at senior club level.

Qauqau-Dodds is listed as the grandson of a former Fiji representative while Pedersen was voted the “best and fairest” club player in Manawatu province last year.

Qauqau-Dodds received a two-year ban and Pedersen was suspended for 21 months.

“What this investigation has revealed is that there is a lot of ignorance in our community game on the issue of performance-enhancing drugs,” New Zealand Rugby general manager Neil Sorensen said.

“What has happened to these four rugby players serves as a reminder that all athletes have to be very careful about what they put into their bodies.” 

Berry, Pedersen, and Robertson were accused of possessing and in some cases the use or attempted use of Clenbuterol, a stimulant. Qauqau-Dodds was charged with possession and use or attempted use of anabolic steroid Metandienone.

They all pleaded guilty to at least one of the alleged offences.

The charges were laid by Drug Free Sport New Zealand, which enforces World Anti-Doping Agency codes, and follows an investigation into the website Clenbuterol NZ.

It identified a number of athletes from a range of sporting codes as making purchases from the website in 2014 and 2015.

 

© Agence France-Presse

Four New Zealand rugby players have been suspended for doping offences.

Zoe Berry, who played one Test for the Black Ferns against England in 2012, and New Zealand under-20 and sevens international Glen Robertson were both given four-year suspensions.

Two other club-level players received a two-year ban and a 21-month ban.

Rhys Pedersen, Berry and Robertson were banned for possessing and in some cases using or attempting to use stimulant clenbuterol.

Ben Qauqau-Dodds was charged with possession and use or attempted use of anabolic steroid metandienone.

Clenbuterol and metandienone are both prohibited substances under the NZ Sports Anti-Doping Rules.

“This serves as a reminder that all athletes have to be very careful about what they put into their bodies,” said New Zealand Rugby general manager Neil Sorensen.

All four players, who were playing club rugby at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to at least one of the alleged offences.

The charges were brought by Drug Free Sport New Zealand, which enforces World Anti-Doping Agency codes.