1 Sep 2010

Bloodgate doctor can continue to practise

6:43 am on 1 September 2010

A doctor who deliberately cut the lip of an English rugby player to cover up a fake injury can continue to practise medicine.

Wendy Chapman admitted cutting the lip of Harlequins winger Tom Williams after he was substituted during the English premiership club's Heineken Cup quarter-final loss to Leinster in April 2009.

Williams had chewed on a fake blood capsule to force a late blood replacement substitution, allowing a specialist goalkicker to take to the field in a bid to save the game.

Britain's General Medical Council in concluding an investigation into the incident, said Chapman had committed serious misconduct but was under stress at the time, suffering from depression and awaiting the results of a breast cancer scan.

Dr Chapman was suspended by the GMC in September 2009.