Bulked-up teen stars warned over supplements

TOP rugby schools were hit with a stark warning last night from the chairman of the Irish Anti-Doping Unit that providing food supplements to adolescents was likely to lead to major health and injury issues for players in the long term.

Placing the simmering controversy in context, Professor Brendan Buckley said that it was so serious, it would be the subject of a tribunal in 20 years time.

Addressing the launch of the Anti-Doping Programme’s annual report in Dublin, Professor Buckley labelled rugby schools as the chief promoters of food supplements amongst adolescent boys, while the chairman of the Irish Sports Council, Ossie Kilkenny, gave evidence of one school that charged parents for supplements.