‘Bloodgate’ doctor cleared to practise medicine again

The former Harlequins doctor involved in the ‘Bloodgate’ scandal has escaped being struck off at a General Medical Council hearing.

Dr Wendy Chapman was responsible for cutting Harlequins winger Tom William’s lip following their Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to Leinster last year.

The hearing was told how Williams twice asked the doctor to cut his lip as he was challenged over the authenticity of his ‘injury’ after he bit into a blood capsule to force his substitution during the clash.

Despite being responsible for cutting Williams, it was felt that Chapman was pressured into the action and she has now been considered fit to continue practising.

The GMC hearing was told that Dr Chapman had been suffering from a “major depressive disorder” before the incident, and was also awaiting breast cancer test results ahead of surgery which took place in July.

Chapman, who was initially suspended by the GMC in September, denied intentionally trying to deceive officials into thinking Williams was injured by saying he had a loose tooth.

While Chapman will now look to rebuild her career, Steph Brennan, the physio involved in the same event, will have to wait until 13 September to discover his fate.