Rugby: Blood scandal leader looks for way back

Dean Richards wants to know exactly what he can do in rugby. Photo / Getty Images

A year after 'Bloodgate', the controversial figure of Dean Richards is looming large on the horizon of English rugby.

Richards, kicked out of the sport for three years after belatedly admitting to his role in the fake blood scandal at Harlequins, is in discussions with senior figures about taking steps back into the game.

Barely a third of the way through his suspension, the former England No 8 has already muddied the waters by helping relegated Worcester identify a new coaching team.

This week, judge Jeff Blackett, the Rugby Football Union's chief disciplinary officer, said he was in discussions with Richards about "what exactly he can and cannot do" during the rest of his banishment.

"Dean has asked the International Rugby Board for clarification on his sanction," Blackett reported. "He has had a response from them, and I've agreed to have a look at it. We are in dialogue at the moment and I expect it to come to a conclusion within the next month.

"There will have to be a careful legal analysis of the original judgement. Dean is keen to know what he can do within rugby - for instance, can he speak at rugby dinners, or coach his children in their school team? - and it's important to create a definitive list, because he does not want to contravene any directives."

Those who thought Richards' admission of guilt - for arming Quins wing Tom Williams with a blood capsule and telling him to bite on it as part of a substitution scam - left little doubt as to the legal basis of whatever action the authorities might choose to take against him must now think again, for the peculiar circumstances have opened up a king-sized can of worms.

Because the incident occurred in a Heineken Cup match, the disciplinary process was handled by European Rugby Cup Ltd. ERC banned him from their competitions alone, with a request to all other competition organisers and national unions to fall into line. This, they did.

But it would be arguable in a court of law that the IRB, as the supreme decision-making body, should have held their own hearing, rather than simply rubber-stamp the ERC decision.

"In my view, the sanction was expressed equivocally," Blackett said. "One of the lessons we've learnt from this is that if we're going to give sanctions that are not of the on-field variety - those involving players - we must be very clear on exactly what the sanction means.

"It's taken a bit of time to reach this stage because of correspondence between the various parties and outstanding issues involving others caught up in the affair. Everyone wanted the whole case to be brought to a conclusion before Dean's situation was addressed."

Dr Wendy Chapman was given leave by the General Medical Council last month to resume her career, despite admitting she had deliberately sliced open Williams' lip with a stitch cutter - at the player's request - in an effort to disguise his use of fake blood.

Another of Bloodgate's central figures, physiotherapist Steph Brennan, is due to appear before his professional body soon. Brennan has already lost a position with the England team as a result of his involvement.

- INDEPENDENT