Bloodgate
Encyclopedia
Bloodgate is the nickname for a rugby union
scandal involving the English team Harlequins
in their Heineken Cup
match against the Irish side Leinster
on 12 April 2009. It was so called because of the use of fake blood capsules
, and has been seen by some as one of the biggest scandals in rugby since professionalisation in the mid 1990s, indeed even as an argument against the professional ethos. The name is a humorous pun on Watergate.
During the quarter final of the 2009 Heineken Cup against Leinster, Harlequins wing Tom Williams
came off the field with what turned out to be a faked blood injury in order to facilitate a tactical substitution for Nick Evans to re-enter the field having gone off earlier injured. An investigation by the ERC
and the RFU revealed that blood injuries had also been faked by Harlequins to enable tactical substitutions on four previous occasions. These findings resulted in a twelve month ban for Williams - reduced to 4 months on appeal, a three year ban for former director of rugby Dean Richards and a two year ban for physiotherapist Steph Brennan as well as a £260,000 fine for the club.
The club chairman Charles Jillings subsequently tendered his resignation while the club doctor Wendy Chapman was suspended by the GMC
for cutting Williams's lip to hide his use of the blood capsule.
On 2 September 2009, it was reported that Harlequins had escaped being thrown out of the Heineken Cup following the scandal when the board of organisers European Rugby Cup (ERC) said it approved of the bans and fines already handed out.
The affair was dubbed by many in the media "Bloodgate".
Richards resigned from his post at Harlequins over an incident in which it was acknowledged that he had orchestrated and had "central control" over a fake blood injury to Tom Williams
during a Heineken Cup fixture against Leinster
. He was given a three year suspension from coaching as punishment.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) also confirmed that they would apply the ban to rugby union worldwide.
Dr Chapman, the medic who cut Williams' lip, appeared before the General Medical Council
charged with alleged conduct likely to bring the profession into disrepute.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
scandal involving the English team Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
in their Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
match against the Irish side Leinster
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
on 12 April 2009. It was so called because of the use of fake blood capsules
Theatrical blood
Theatrical blood or stage blood is anything used as a substitute for blood in a theatrical or cinematic performance. For example, in the special effects industry, when a director needs to simulate an actor being shot or cut, a wide variety of chemicals and natural products can be used...
, and has been seen by some as one of the biggest scandals in rugby since professionalisation in the mid 1990s, indeed even as an argument against the professional ethos. The name is a humorous pun on Watergate.
During the quarter final of the 2009 Heineken Cup against Leinster, Harlequins wing Tom Williams
Tom Williams (rugby player)
Tom Williams is an English rugby union player who plays for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.He normally plays at either full-backor on the wing....
came off the field with what turned out to be a faked blood injury in order to facilitate a tactical substitution for Nick Evans to re-enter the field having gone off earlier injured. An investigation by the ERC
European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup is the organising body of two European rugby union club tournaments; the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup. The organisation was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Dublin...
and the RFU revealed that blood injuries had also been faked by Harlequins to enable tactical substitutions on four previous occasions. These findings resulted in a twelve month ban for Williams - reduced to 4 months on appeal, a three year ban for former director of rugby Dean Richards and a two year ban for physiotherapist Steph Brennan as well as a £260,000 fine for the club.
The club chairman Charles Jillings subsequently tendered his resignation while the club doctor Wendy Chapman was suspended by the GMC
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
for cutting Williams's lip to hide his use of the blood capsule.
On 2 September 2009, it was reported that Harlequins had escaped being thrown out of the Heineken Cup following the scandal when the board of organisers European Rugby Cup (ERC) said it approved of the bans and fines already handed out.
The affair was dubbed by many in the media "Bloodgate".
Aftermath
Mark Evans, chief executive of Harlequin FC has said:- "You would be incredibly naive to think (the Bloodgate stigma) will ever disappear completely. Things like that don't. They become part of history and, like good or bad seasons, are woven into the fabric of any club."
Richards resigned from his post at Harlequins over an incident in which it was acknowledged that he had orchestrated and had "central control" over a fake blood injury to Tom Williams
Tom Williams (rugby player)
Tom Williams is an English rugby union player who plays for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.He normally plays at either full-backor on the wing....
during a Heineken Cup fixture against Leinster
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
. He was given a three year suspension from coaching as punishment.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) also confirmed that they would apply the ban to rugby union worldwide.
Dr Chapman, the medic who cut Williams' lip, appeared before the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
charged with alleged conduct likely to bring the profession into disrepute.
External links
- Bloodgate on The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s website. - How Bloodgate Unfolded on the The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
s website. - Bloodgate Scandal will Forever Haunt Quins on bbc.co.uk