The WRU now has 15 UKAD Educators across the organisation, after recently holding an Educators’ Course at Principality Stadium, working in partnership with Sport Wales.
There are three full time staff within the WRU Integrity Team whose day-to-day responsibilities include anti-doping education. There are also a mixture of full-time and part-time staff who can be deployed to deliver the education programme across Wales.
WRU Policy and Integrity Manager, Jeremy Rogers said, “We now have a workforce that is able to support players and backroom staff in our clubs and representative teams across Wales with anti-doping advice and workshops that are tailored for their particular needs as a professional or amateur player.
“Next season our UKAD Educators will be delivering education across the professional and semi-professional game and supporting our player pathway with education sessions for players and staff in the under 15 Dewar Shield programme, and our Regional Age Grade squads.
“We will also be supporting our STAY ONSIDE campaign by engaging with community clubs through our Club Integrity Officers to promote anti-doping and provide key messages and advice to players within the community game.
“We are focussed on supporting players so that they make good decisions both on and off the field. We are aware of our responsibilities as a national governing body to raise awareness and safeguard our players’ welfare in this area”.
The expanded anti-doping and integrity education programme will see over 65 face to face workshops being delivered by the WRU UKAD Educators over the course of the season.
In addition, will be increased emphasis on supporting Club Integrity Officers to deliver education within their clubs to senior and youth team players. The WRU will be holding a series of ‘Train the Trainer’ workshops to support CIOs through this process.
Go to wru.wales/antidoping for all further info
