The former Scotland and British & Irish Lions fly-half Craig Chalmers believes doping is increasingly prevalent in rugby union and fears the authorities are not doing enough to address the issue in the wake of his son Sam’s positive test.
Chalmers junior returns from a two-year doping ban next month having tested positive for anabolic steroids when on Scotland Under-20s duty in May 2013 and subsequently admitted to taking a banned substance to add bulk.
The Melrose utility back, now 21, said at the time: “I have been stupid, naive and impressionable and would urge other young players not to give in to the constant pressure to be bigger in the manner that I did,” but Chalmers Sr is shocked at how little has been done by the Scottish Rugby Union since.
“The thing with doping in rugby is that it goes on, I know it goes on,” he told Herald Sport. “I hadn’t really thought about it that much before Sam’s case but then I began asking some people about the stuff that Sam had taken and they seemed to say that it was very common.
“Sam will come back from this episode more mature and a wiser person from it but he’s done it all on his own … Scottish Rugby have shown no support at all.”
