All eight teams competing at the World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024 in Edinburgh came together on Friday to show of support for Keep Rugby Clean Day.
With five teams starting the day in contention for the title, and promotion to the World Rugby U20 Championship 2025, every player taking to the pitch at Hive Stadium donned distinctive t-shirts during their warm-ups in a collective stance against doping.
Keep Rugby Clean is World Rugby’s anti-doping education and awareness programme. It aims to deter doping by educating participants on their responsibilities, raising awareness of doping risks and fostering an ethical clean-sport ethos across our game.
Scotland vice-captain Geordie Gwynn believes the programme is integral to maintaining a level playing field for everyone involved in the game.
“Keeping rugby clean is essential for the integrity and fairness of the sport,” Gwynn said.
“Supporting anti-doping initiatives ensures that every player competes on a level playing field, and my commitment to these principles upholds the spirit of rugby.
“The education I receive helps me understand the importance of staying clean and maintaining the trust of my team-mates, coaches and supporters.”
Ahead of the U20 Trophy, each of the eight squads participated in an extensive programme comprising online and face-to-face education, delivered in their native language.
World Rugby work closely with the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) and national anti-doping organisations to deter intentional doping behaviours and avoid accidental doping.
“For me it’s really important to keep rugby clean so everyone is on the same playing level. It means no one is cheating to play and people don’t then start getting persuaded to take it to even the playing field,” Kit Temperley, the Netherlands captain, said.
“It means a lot to me to support the initiative as it’s really important we keep rugby clean to ensure more people feel confident to take up rugby and know there is no cheating involved.
“I have learnt it’s really important to check if things have been cleared for informed sport. Also, if there is any doubt in any supplements, I have learnt it’s safer not to take them.”
Japan captain Yoshiaki Taian added: “I took the anti-doping education programme and learned a lot.
“The most important thing I learned was that even if something is said to be safe or given to me by a friend, I am responsible for what I put into my body, so I need to know what I'm putting into it.
“From what I learned, I want to be careful about what I put into my body and make sure I understand it before I do so.”
For more information on the Keep Rugby Clean campaign, visit www.world.rugby/keep-rugby-clean.
Photos: SNS Group
