1 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: My mind. Here we are again for another episode of 2 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: playing dirty sports scandals, where anything goes but very little 3 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: is palatable. I'm Jay Harris, ESPN broadcaster and your guide 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: to the dark side of sports. Today's tail on tap 5 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: is bold, bent and bloody, well sort of. You'll see 6 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: sip up, cleanse that palette, why you can, and then 7 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: it's time to get the scoop on Bloodgate, the scandal 8 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: that shook rugby. To kick this off, let's head across 9 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: the pond to England, where rugby is the third most 10 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: popular sport after football and tennis. For those of you 11 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: listening who don't know anything about rugby, that's okay. Rugby 12 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: is a game played by two teams using an oval 13 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: ball try to score points by carrying the ball to 14 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: their opponents into the field or by kicking it over 15 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: a bar fixed between two posts. But the most important 16 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: thing to understand is that one of this sport's main 17 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: hallmarks is the toughness of its players. Rugby is arguably 18 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: just as much of a contact sport as American football, 19 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: and if you just go by the data, rugby is 20 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: actually a more dangerous one when it comes to concussions. 21 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: Twenty eighteen, research from Complete Concussion Management revealed that out 22 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: of all sports men's rugby had the highest rate of 23 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: concussion for people over the age of eighteen, with the 24 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: rate of three concussions per every one thousand players per game. 25 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: American football comes in as the second most dangerous sport, 26 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: with the rate of two point five concussions per every 27 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: one thousand players per game. So basically, one way to 28 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: think about rugby is that it's the same level of 29 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: contact as American football, but the players were far less protection. 30 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: In fact, rugby players typically don't wear any protection except 31 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: for a mouthpiece. Ouch. I don't know about you, but 32 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: that sounds pretty rough and rowdy to me. According to 33 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: the sports lore, it all started back in eighteen twenty 34 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: three when William webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby school 35 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: in Warwickshire, England, defied the conventional football rules of the day, 36 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: which were that the ball could only be kicked forward, 37 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: and instead picked up the ball and ran with it 38 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: during a game. William's action created the distinct game of 39 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: rugby football and boom bosh pow. Just like that, this 40 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: student had formed the foundation for the game of rugby 41 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: rugby union football rules went on to be formalized a 42 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: couple of decades later, in eighteen forty five. Now, even 43 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: in these early days of the sport, there was a 44 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: team on the scene gaining some public popularity. They were 45 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 1: called Harlequins, and they came together out of rugby's amateur 46 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: era to become one of the founding members of the 47 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: Rugby Football Union in eighteen seven TV one. Harlequin Football 48 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: Club has been synonymous with pro rugby for more than 49 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: a century, racking up a long list of accolades, including 50 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: being Champions of England twice with title wins in twenty 51 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: twelve and twenty twenty one, and winning the European Challenge 52 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: Cup in two thousand and one, two thousand and four 53 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: and twenty eleven. The Harlequins, whose fans finally call them 54 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: the Quinns, play at a venue known as the Twickenham Stoop, 55 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: located just to stones throwaway from the iconic Twickenham Stadium. 56 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: Twickenham is a suburb of London situated on the famous 57 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: River Thames and is home to some five hundred thousand people. 58 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: The Twickenham Stoop Stadium is the largest rugby stadium in 59 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: the world, and every game there is more than a match. 60 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: It's a celebration of a town's love for rugby and 61 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: for their team. The stoop seats around fourteen thousand people, 62 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: and it rocks during Harlequins matches. Over the decades, the 63 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: historic Harlequins had grown to dominance, becoming a symbol of 64 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: resilience and sportsmanship. Their iconic colors, a unique combination of magenta, 65 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: French gray, chocolate, sky blue and black, don't just represent 66 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: a team, they signify a legacy. So when the Harlequins 67 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: colors were stained in two thousand and nine, not by glory, 68 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: not even by defeat, but by deception, this prized legacy 69 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: was terribly tarnished. How did this team that had packed 70 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: stadiums in every game, charing them on with the chant 71 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: come all without, come all within, You'll not see nothing 72 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: like the mighty Quinns fall from glory. Well to answer that, 73 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: we've got a scandal to sluice. It's April twelfth, two 74 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: thousand and nine, a day that was faded to be 75 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: etched in rugby history for all the wrong reasons. Twickenham's 76 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: beloved Harlequins were facing off against the Irish team Leinster 77 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: in a crucial Heineken Cup quarter final match. Now, the 78 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: Heineken Cup is a big deal, representing the pinnacle of 79 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: achievement in European club rugby. Overseen by European professional club Rugby. 80 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: The Heineken Cup is an annual tournament that combines the 81 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 1: top teams from the previous year's league seasons in England's 82 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 1: Premiership Rugby, France's Top fourteen and the multinational United Rugby 83 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: Championship and puts them together in a competition format. It's 84 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 1: an incredibly high stake setup and the winners walk away 85 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:32,799 Speaker 1: with prize money, sponsorships and glory. So as you can imagine, 86 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: the tension was palpable as the Harlequins and Leinster teams 87 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: faced off. And what exactly happens when two teams face 88 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 1: off in a rugby match, Well, if you've never watched rugby, 89 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: a match last eighty minutes played out in two forty 90 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: minute halves, and there are a lot of rules about 91 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: how many players you can substitute in during play and 92 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: how often you can do it. A maximum of eight 93 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: substitutions is allowed across rugby union mat and you can't 94 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: throw a flanker into the front row to replace an 95 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: injured prop, which means you can't sub a fast forward 96 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 1: running player for one of your heavier, stronger players. Substitutions 97 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 1: can only be made when the ball is gone dead, 98 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: and so on and so forth. Did you get that? 99 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: Like I said, a lot of rules, So following those 100 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: rules and fiddling with those rules for that matter, takes 101 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: some serious planning. Seven minutes into the second half of 102 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: the uber important two thousand and nine Heineken Cup, the 103 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 1: notoriously competitive Harlequins faced a major setback to their original 104 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: plan of play. Nick Evans, their star fly half, which 105 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: is the position that makes the primary decisions for a 106 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: rugby team, like whether to kick or run or pass 107 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: the ball, limped off the rugby field or pitch with 108 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: a thigh injury. This was a gutting loss for the Harlequins, 109 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: since Nick Evans was their best kicker and they had 110 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: a lot riding on him to win. The Harlequins director 111 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: of essentially their coach, Dean Richards, bit his lip and 112 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: replaced Nick Evans with Chris Malone, a fly half which 113 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: is like the quarterback of an American football team, but 114 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: fate dealt yet another low blow to the Harlequins. Chris 115 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: Malone tore his hamstring after just about twenty minutes of 116 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: play after substitution, and so Dean Richards had to tap 117 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: in winger Tom Williams in as the next sub play continued, 118 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: but in the last eight minutes of the match, dirt 119 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: started flying. The score was six to five in favor 120 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: of Leinster and the heat was on. Harlequin's player Mike 121 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: Brown lined up for a crucial penalty kick, which was 122 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: the team's best chance to take the lead back, but 123 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: he pushed his kick wide and missed. And that's when 124 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: something really peculiar happened. Coach Dean Richards suddenly took Tom Williams, 125 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: the winger who had just been substituted in for Chris Malone, 126 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: off the pitch for a blood injury. Out of nowhere. 127 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: Tom Williams's mouth had begun bleeding profusely. From the fans standpoint, 128 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: this wasn't too out of the ordinary. He must have 129 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: been swiped or sustained a collision that wasn't as acutely 130 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: apparent until he opened his mouth right at this point. 131 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: From the distance of the spectators in the stadium to 132 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: the pitch. Tom Williams's injury seemed innocent enough, and a 133 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: very stressed Dean Richards, seemingly out of options, orchestrated the 134 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: return of Nick Evans to the field, hoping his skill 135 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: could snatch victory from the jaws of defeat even with 136 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: his thigh injury. Now keep this in mind, because it's crucial. 137 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: If it hadn't been for Tom Williams's bloody mouth, Dean 138 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 1: Williams would not have been able to take him out 139 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: and replace him with Nick Evans at that moment in 140 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: the match. You remember all those rules I told you 141 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: about substituting players, right, So the timing of Tom Williams's 142 00:08:55,080 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: injury was incredibly lucky for the Harlequos. Now, Dean Chard's 143 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: subbing gamble didn't pay off because Nick Evans, despite his 144 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: incredible natural talent and hone skill set, was still very 145 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: much hampered by his actual injury. His attempt at drop 146 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: goal to win the match veered wide, sealing the match 147 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: in Leinster's favor. The Harlequins had lost and were out 148 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: of the Heineken Cup tournament. There's a quote that I 149 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: really like from American philosopher and abolitionist Ralph Waldo Emerson. 150 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in 151 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: rising up every time we fail. To me This is 152 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: a sentiment that runs through sports, and it's one of 153 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: the reasons I love covering them. You see it time 154 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: and time again. Tales of failure ultimately being a stepping 155 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 1: stone to success. Never failed to inspire Mma Elite Czech 156 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: Congo rising up like a phoenix from the ashes to 157 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 1: knock out Pat Barry after a debilitating blow. Alex Smith 158 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: of the then Washington football team, clowing his way back 159 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: onto the field after one of the gnarliest leg injuries imaginable, 160 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: and Tiger Woods golf comeback. These are tales of tenacity, 161 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: where sheer willpower and a commitment to excellence propels players 162 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: to greatness. What happened with the Harlequins at the two 163 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: thousand and nine Heineken Cup was not such a tale. 164 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: In fact, just as their losing match ended, their true 165 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: unraveling began. Winning team Leinster's medics, suspecting foul play, demanded 166 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: to examine Tom Williams's mouth injury. They were met with 167 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 1: resistance and denied access to the Harlequins dressing room. Inside 168 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: that dressing room, Tom Williams later told the BBC that 169 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: it was pure panic, saying we knew we had to 170 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 1: do something as people wanted to come in the room 171 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: to see my mouth. They were banging on the door 172 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: trying to get into the changing room. Our doctor, Wendy 173 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: Chapman and myself didn't know what to do. It was 174 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: a really ridiculous time, and I realized I looked like 175 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:08,079 Speaker 1: an absolute idiot. Shane Horgan had shouted from the Leinster bench, 176 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: it's not real blood, it's not real blood, as I 177 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: was stumbling down the tunnel. So we went into the 178 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: changing room. I had a conversation with the doctor and 179 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: she made the cut. Logical decision making at the time 180 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: for myself and doctor Chapman was just not there. Even 181 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: as Tom Williams was in the dressing room having his 182 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: mouth actually cut by Harlequin's doctor Wendy Chapman, to try 183 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: to keep their team's story from falling apart, Suspicion was 184 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: growing on the sidelines inside the stadium, Leinster's operations manager 185 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: Ronan O'Donnell confronted Dean Richards, saying emphatically that Leinster's team doctor, 186 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: the late Professor Arthur Tanner, had immediately doubted the authenticity 187 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: of Tom Williams's injury and set about trying to validate 188 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: his theory. Despite his insistence, despite confronting Harlequin's coach Dean 189 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 1: Richards directly and banging on the door of the Harlequin's 190 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: dressing room demanding access, Professor Arthur Tanner was barred from 191 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: examining Williams. This heightened the drama unfolding and the sense 192 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: of deception. It sounded unbelievable, but Professor Arthur Tanner kept 193 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: repeating that he thought the blood running out of Tom 194 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: Williams's mouth had looked fake. Wait, what fake blood like 195 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: from a movie set? And speaking of movies, the cameras 196 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: had captured something that the fans sitting in the stadium 197 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 1: had been too far back to catch. Tom Williams giving 198 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: his teammate Jim Evans a wink as he exited the pitch. 199 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,199 Speaker 1: This gesture, caught on camera, would later become a symbol 200 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 1: of the deceit that had unfolded. After all, why would 201 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: anyone wink after being dealt a bloody injury and having 202 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: to be pulled out of a momentous game at a 203 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: crucial moment. In the press booth, commentator Stuart Barnes voiced 204 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: a question that was echoing the minds of many as 205 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: the Harlequins scandal unfolded in real time. Who punched Tom 206 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: Williams in the mouth? Tom Williams? Stuart Barnes's speculation made 207 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: clear that it wasn't just Leinster's medic who had a 208 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: feeling the Harlequins had tried to cheat to win. The 209 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:22,199 Speaker 1: game's climax was shrouded in controversy. Leinster, though victorious, couldn't 210 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:26,119 Speaker 1: shake off a sense of wrongdoing. The incident with Tom Williams, 211 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 1: along with his wink and seemingly nonchalant demeanor as he 212 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 1: left the field, raised more questions than answers. It was 213 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: a moment that just didn't align with the urgency and 214 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: desperation typically seen in the closing minutes of a high 215 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:44,319 Speaker 1: stakes match. Why was Tom Williams winking under the circumstances. 216 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: Why did he seem so undisturbed when his team was 217 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: on the brink of losing such a crucial match? What 218 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: did he know? Dean Richards, the Harlequins Director of Rugby, 219 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,719 Speaker 1: faced the media post match and strongly denied any impropriety, 220 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 1: staunchly defending his club. In an exchange with Sky Sports 221 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 1: reporter Graham Simmons, Dean Richards was questioned directly about the incident. 222 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: Hand on hard was Tom Williams bleeding when he came off? 223 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: Reporter Graham Simmons asked, Dean Richards replied with a firm, 224 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: steady tone. He came off with a cut in his mouth. 225 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: The issue is whether he was injured, and you have 226 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: a right if someone has a cut to bring them off, 227 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: which is what we decided to do. Simmons pressed on 228 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: sinking absolute clarity from the Harlequins Director of Rugby, asking 229 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: your conscience is clear on that one? Coach Dean Richards, 230 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: again unwavering, responded, yeah, very much so. But his words, 231 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: intended to quell the public's doubts, only fueled the fire 232 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: of suspicion, and rightly so, because the investigation that followed 233 00:14:53,080 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: blew the lid off a premeditated active deception. This is 234 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: how Hugo Manye, a Harlequin player at the time, described 235 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: the scandal unfolding years later. My understanding is that Tom 236 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: was pleading with doctor Wendy Chapman to cut his lip 237 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: in order to prove it was a blood injury. She refused, 238 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: but Tom, in a panic, was threatening to do it himself. Eventually, 239 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: after going back and forth, Wendy agreed because she feared Tom, 240 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: in his frantic state, could do himself long term damage. 241 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 1: In a no win situation, Wendy took the decision to 242 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: make a surgical incision she felt was safer. Manye went 243 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: on to express sympathy for the doctor, saying it wasn't 244 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: her fault and that she'd been put in an impossible position, 245 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: insisting that she had no knowledge of the blood capsule trick. 246 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: Even so. As the European Rugby Cup known as the 247 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: ERC furthered its investigation into what has since become known 248 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 1: as the Bloodgate scandal, a disciplinary hearing was held in 249 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: which doctor Wendy Chapman and her colleague physiotherapist stepped Bread, 250 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: alongside Harlequin's Director of Rugby, Dean Richards, and player Tom Williams, 251 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: were called to account for what had gone down leading 252 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: up to this hearing. Director of Rugby, Dean Richards convinced 253 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: the others directly involved in the scandal as well as 254 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: the entire Harlequins team to align their testimonies and provide 255 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 1: a united front. Hugo Manye, a Harlequin player at the 256 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: time who later became a television pundit, recounted what happened 257 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: when the senior players met with Tom Williams. Manya said, 258 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: I know Tom had conversations with Harlequins and they made 259 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: him an offer of compensation. It was an unconditional offer 260 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: because anything else would have been blackmail. The offer was 261 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: to swallow the band from ERC and be looked after 262 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: by the club financially. He revealed. This revelation hinted at 263 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: the Harlequin Rugby Club's attempts to contain the scandal internally, 264 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: an offer that placed the burdens squarely on Tom Williams's shoulders. 265 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: We very much left the decision up to Tom, Yugomanya continued, 266 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 1: and I remember him leaving the meeting saying he was 267 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: going to accept the offer and take the band. His 268 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: name was tarnished no matter what he decided to do. 269 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: But at the same time, everyone knew without the facts 270 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: coming out at that point it wasn't Tom who orchestrated everything, 271 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: and the club was really to blame, but then the 272 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: hearing took place and the outcome was a severe blow 273 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: to all involved. Dean Richards received a global three year 274 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,360 Speaker 1: suspension from Rugby physiotherapist Steph Brennan faced a two year 275 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 1: band doctor Wendy Chapman was suspended from the practice of 276 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: medicine by England's General Medical Counsel, and Tom Williams was 277 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: handed a twelve month playing suspension. The weight of his 278 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: suspension was too heavy for Tom to bear, and so 279 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: even though he told his teammates he would protect the 280 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 1: scheme and pretend it was all his own doing. With 281 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: the support of his wife Alex, Tom Williams ended up 282 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: coming clean. Hugo Manye remembered his shock at Tom's flip flop, 283 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: telling the Guardian newspaper at the next day, having already 284 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: accepted Harlequin's offer, Tom went to ERC and came away 285 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: with the band reduced to four months after revealing everything. 286 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: We were disappointed, not because he told the truth, but 287 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: because it seemed he wanted the best of both worlds, 288 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: to take the money and to blab. I'm not saying 289 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,399 Speaker 1: I wish Tom had suffered more. Why should he have 290 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: suffered at all, but there are other parties involved on 291 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: that day too, who I feel desperately sad for everyone 292 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: sympathized with Tom on the day, but I'm just not 293 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: sure about some of his actions thereafter. In a candidate 294 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: revelation on will Greenwood's podcast in twenty nineteen, Tom Williams 295 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:56,400 Speaker 1: expressed his side of the turmoil, juggling his suspension, his 296 00:18:56,480 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: teammate's disappointment, and his conscience. Was offered things by Harlequins 297 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: to keep quiet. I was told that me coming out 298 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: to tell the truth would ruin the club and that 299 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: people would lose their jobs, Tom said, But I was 300 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: being hung out to dry. Tom Williams just couldn't accept 301 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: his twelve month suspension. Despite agreeing to fall on his sword, 302 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,679 Speaker 1: so to speak. He appealed his suspension and decided to 303 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: lay out what really happened to the Appeals Committee of 304 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 1: the ERC. Tom's new testimony was a turning point, his 305 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 1: affidavid and supplemental statement casting a damning light on Dean 306 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 1: Richards and step Brennan. Tom told the committee that Dean 307 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,919 Speaker 1: Richards was an exacting coach with a global reputation for 308 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: no nonsense. Tom did not start the match against Leinster 309 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:46,719 Speaker 1: and was called to play only in those crucial final 310 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: eight minutes of play. He said that the coach told 311 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: him to go to physiotherapist step Brennan and tell him 312 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: he'd be coming off for blood. Now what did that mean? 313 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: Tom said he'd never before faked an injury or been 314 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: asked to do anything resembling cheating, but he admits he 315 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,880 Speaker 1: knew that coming off for blood meant faking an injury. Meanwhile, 316 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: physiotherapist Steph Brennan told the committee that he kept fake 317 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 1: blood capsules in his bag at the direction of coach 318 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: Dean Richards and for the express purpose of faking blood injuries. 319 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: He told the committee Richards had directed him to provide 320 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 1: blood capsules to fake injuries four other times in previous matches. 321 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: With the truth coming to light from multiple parties, Dean 322 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: Richards had no choice but to agree that there had 323 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: been multiple fake injury occasions under his leadership of the Harlequins. 324 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 1: The Independent Appeals Committee's ninety nine page report was unsparing 325 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 1: in its criticism of Dean Richards, painting him as the 326 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: unrepentant architect of the entire sordid affair who pressured others 327 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: who looked up to him to act unethically on his behalf. Meanwhile, 328 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: Tom Williams revealed that he kept the blood capsule given 329 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: to him by Steph Brennan in his sock until he 330 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 1: thought he could fit the inn. When an opposing player 331 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: made physical contact with him, Tom said that he feared 332 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: he would not get another chance to play if he 333 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: didn't think the injury coach Richards had requested of him. 334 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: So Tom Williams bit the blood capsule after removing it 335 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 1: from his sock in full view of the public and 336 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: the cameras. What a chance he took, and what a 337 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: fall for coming clean. Tom William's band was reduced from 338 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: twelve to four months of that time in his life. 339 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: Tom Williams said, I was pretty ill during that four 340 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: month ban, and these days it would probably be diagnosed 341 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: as depression. I lost two stone and I thought, what 342 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: is it that I'm playing rugby for. I just wanted 343 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: the opportunity to come back and find some pride in 344 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 1: myself and hopefully give some back to the Quins as well. 345 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: Tom was able to find redemption after his suspension was lifted. 346 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 1: He continued to play for the Harlequins, achieving notable success, 347 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: including a European Challenge Cup and an English Premiership title, 348 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 1: before retiring in twenty fifteen to join the coaching staff. 349 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: Reflecting on the incident, Williams expressed remorse. All I can 350 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,439 Speaker 1: say is that I made a stupid mistake and I 351 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: didn't have the courage of my convictions to stand up 352 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: to someone. I live with it every day. Ten years 353 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:26,919 Speaker 1: after Bloodgate, Harlequin's players Tom Williams, Danny Kerr and Hugomanye 354 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 1: sat down with the press to spill more juice about 355 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: how their team had played dirty. Danny Kare said that 356 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: genuinely at the time, I had no idea what was 357 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: going on. I was twenty two, I had not experienced 358 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: anything like it before, and I only found out in 359 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: the changing rooms after when someone said I think we're 360 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: going to be in a bit of trouble here Yugomanye 361 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,479 Speaker 1: also repeated that he'd been clueless on April twelfth, two 362 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: thousand and nine, swearing hand on heart, I didn't have 363 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: a clue what was going on at the time, but 364 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: he continued, I did know blood capsules were at practice 365 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: at Quinn's. It was common in rugby back then. You 366 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: reflect on it now and it was pretty stupid, but 367 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: it was easy to get away with. Tommy Williams agreed 368 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,359 Speaker 1: it was common and shared that another former player phoned 369 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: me up recently and said, I did it a week before. 370 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 1: I didn't put the capsule in my mouth, but I 371 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: just put a towel on my head, which was bloodied. 372 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: Hugo Manye tried to rationalize their cheating, explaining to reporters 373 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,360 Speaker 1: that it just depended on who you needed to get 374 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: onto the pitch. You never had conversations in the week, 375 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 1: and it wasn't a case of oh, by the way, 376 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: it might be you. It was something that was just 377 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 1: done on the hoof. Fortunately that day it wasn't me 378 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: who was asked to do it. If Dean Richards had 379 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: asked me to do it, because it was so commonplace, 380 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 1: I probably would have done it too. It almost became 381 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:51,919 Speaker 1: normal because we'd done it a few times and in 382 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: rugby that's just what was done. Danny kerre Co occurred, 383 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: saying everyone would have done the same. If you get 384 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: told to do it, you do it, especially when it's 385 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: Dean Richards telling you to do it. And tom Williams 386 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: admitted that nothing crossed my mind when I got handed 387 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: the capsule. I was doing what I was doing for 388 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: the team. I was trying to impress my boss and 389 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 1: get Quinn's into a semi final of Europe. It was 390 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 1: about doing what I could for the team and not 391 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: having thought in the slightest about the consequences. So what 392 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: was I most guilty of at the time, Probably following 393 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 1: team orders and being a naive twenty five year old 394 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: who should have known better. So there you have it, 395 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: my thirsty friends. Ten years after Bloodgate, the players are 396 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: openly admitting that they all cheated, that they would have 397 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: cheated more vast and that everyone in the sport cheated. 398 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 1: Rugby has celebrated for being rough and tumble, for having 399 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: hard nosed players, but it turns out that at least 400 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: some of that blood we've seen is as fake as 401 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: the red gu running down kids vampire teeth on Halloween. 402 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,920 Speaker 1: But do you think of that A and what happened 403 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: to the other central players besides Tom Williams in this dirty, 404 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:09,120 Speaker 1: bloody business. Well, Harlequin's chief executive Mark Evans gave this statement, 405 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: I would like to apologize to the supporters of Harlequins 406 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: on behalf of the club. Some of you will feel 407 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:20,399 Speaker 1: that manipulation of the substitution, uncontested scrums and sind binning 408 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 1: rules are so widespread in the game that this case 409 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 1: has been blown out of all proportion. Others will feel 410 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: it a terrible episode, which makes them ashamed of the 411 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 1: club they love. For most people, Evan's statement didn't really 412 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 1: sell sufficient contrition for a cheating scandal of epic proportions. 413 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: After all, their team's bad behavior had cut out the 414 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: very heart of what rugby is all about fair sportsmanship. Meanwhile, 415 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 1: Harlequin's director of rugby, Dean Richards, having been banned for 416 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: three years, announced that he took full responsibility for it. 417 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: It was a farcical situation, it really was. It didn't 418 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,959 Speaker 1: pan out particularly well on the day. Everybody looked at 419 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,879 Speaker 1: it and thought that's unreal, which is what I thought 420 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:08,959 Speaker 1: on the touch line as well. The what Dean Richard's 421 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 1: statement certainly didn't come across as very apologetic either, Despite 422 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:17,159 Speaker 1: saying specifically that he accepted responsibility, it doesn't sound like 423 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: that's what he was doing. I mean, he said it 424 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: didn't pan out. What does that mean, Dean? You didn't 425 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,479 Speaker 1: cheat very well. I guess we'll never really know, but 426 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: Dean Richards did ultimately have a revival, being named as 427 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 1: director of rugby at Newcastle Falcons in spring twenty twelve. 428 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: Once his band was lifted, as he had done with Harlequins, 429 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,199 Speaker 1: Dean led Newcastle to promotion back to the Premiership at 430 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: the first attempt. He was the head coach for the 431 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: team until May twenty twenty two, when he stepped down 432 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: to work part time as a consultant for the Falcons. 433 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: So Harlequins as a team and Dean Richards landed all right? 434 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: But what about the medical players in the Bloodgate mess? Well, 435 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: Steph Brennan was serving a two year suspension from rugby, 436 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: handed down by the Health Professions Council's Conduct and Competence Committee, 437 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 1: having admitted to five instances, including Bloodgate, of faking blood injuries. 438 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: The committee struck steff Off from practicing physiotherapy, declaring that 439 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: it was a necessary sanction for the public and other 440 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:24,160 Speaker 1: professionals to understand that behavior of this sort is unacceptable. However, 441 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: having been set to start working for the Rugby Football 442 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,160 Speaker 1: Union or RFU as a member of the England Physio 443 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: team before the scandal. In January twenty eleven, just a 444 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 1: few months shy of serving his full suspension, step Brennan 445 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: won a high court battle and was able to move 446 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: forward with this RFU contract. Like the Harlequin's team and 447 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: Dean Richards, step Brennan was able to move on relatively unscathed, 448 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: but the doctor at the heart of the scandal was devastated. 449 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: Bloodgate tormented doctor Wendy Chapman, who had been depressed herself 450 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 1: in recovering from a breast cancer surgery. On the day 451 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 1: of the scandal, when she had a moment to step 452 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: back from what had gone down, Wendy said, I was horrified, 453 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 1: just horrified. This is a very huge game and they cheated. 454 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 1: I was very ashamed that I gave in to the pressure. 455 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 1: I was too ashamed. I was desperate to ask for 456 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 1: some help. I was so ashamed of doing the wrong thing. 457 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: They were all saying that there was a real injury, 458 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 1: that is all real blood. I was just desperate to 459 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:30,199 Speaker 1: be the one to stand up and say it was 460 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: not I did not know what to do. There was 461 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: no justification. It was the wrong thing to do. Of 462 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 1: all the players, Doctor Wendy Chapman exhibited the greatest genuine 463 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: regret for having cheated, and fortunately she too was able 464 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: to find redemption. On August thirty first, twenty ten, almost 465 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 1: a year and a half after Bloodgate, the General Medical 466 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 1: Council Disciplinary Panel in Manchester, ruled that Wendy's fitness to 467 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: practice medicine was unimpaired, despite her actions at the Rugby 468 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: match in April two thousand and nine having been not 469 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: in the best interests of her patient. The panel concluded 470 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: that she posed no risk to patients or the public 471 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 1: and stated the panel accepts that there is a public 472 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: interest in retaining the services of a good doctor. As 473 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 1: with all the other Bloodgate players, doctor Wendy Chapman got 474 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 1: a second chance. Sometimes when we delve into these scandals, 475 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: it can seem as though the dirty players walk away clean. 476 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: But just remember that the actions of April twelfth, two 477 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: thousand and nine went down as rugby's biggest scandal, and 478 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 1: that isn't a legacy any team aspires to. Bloodgate serves 479 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: as a stark reminder of the fine line between competitive 480 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: edge and ethical breach, and staying on the right side 481 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: of the line is something we should all drink to 482 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: join Me Your Scandal's Swelling host Jay Harris next week 483 00:29:54,920 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: for another episode of Playing Dirty Sports Scandals. Playing Dirty 484 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 1: Sports Scandals is a production of Dan Patrick Productions, never 485 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: Ever Productions, and Workhouse Media from executive producers Dan Patrick, 486 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: Paul Anderson, Nick Panela, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clary. Hosted 487 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 1: by Jay Harris, Written and produced by Jen Brown, Francie Haiks, 488 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:27,560 Speaker 1: Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clarey.