UK Anti-Doping chief Andy Parkinson warns of growing culture of internet drug-taking among aspiring rugby players

Grave warning: UK Anti-Doping chief Andy Parkinson is concerned about the availability of drugs online Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Britain’s outgoing anti-doping tsar claims the biggest risk to sport is the use of performance-enhancing substances by those looking to secure their first professional contract

The availability of drugs on the internet is fuelling a growing culture of drug-taking among aspiring rugby players and image-obsessed youngsters, Britain’s outgoing anti-doping tsar has warned.
Andy Parkinson, who stands down as chief executive of UK Anti-Doping in the new year, claimed that one of the biggest risks to clean sport was now the use of performance-enhancing substances by those either looking to secure their first professional contract or those wanting to conform to body stereotypes.
Parkinson revealed an increase in this kind of behaviour was one of the features of his five years in charge of UKAD and that pressure was now being put on the Government to address the phenomenon.

Concern over the scale of the problem in rugby was enough to prompt the Rugby Football Union last month to launch an academic study to ascertain the true picture in the sport…….. see more at :- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/drugsinsport/11266729/UK-Anti-Doping-chief-Andy-Parkinson-warns-of-dangers-of-easily-available-performance-enhancing-drugs-on-internet.html