A DOCTOR says she was "duped" into cutting a rugby player's lip so the winger could fool match officials.

Dr Wendy Chapman's life has been turned upside down since she was drawn into the "bloodgate" scandal when she was matchday doctor for the Harlequins.

The 46-year-old, who lives on the outskirts of Wrotham, faced a General Medical Council hearing in Manchester on Monday – just weeks after a breast cancer operation.

Already suspended without pay from her consultancy job in the accident and emergency department at Maidstone Hospital, Dr Chapman risks being struck off permanently by the GMC.

She has admitted cutting winger Tom Williams' lip with a stitch cutter in the locker room during a Heineken Cup match on April 12, 2009.

However, she has denied telling match officials Williams had a loose tooth in a bid to deceive them.

Michael Hayton, for the GMC, said Williams had used a fake blood capsule as a way to get "the best kicker back on to the field" during the match against Irish side Leinster.

"Tom Williams played a part in it, Dean Richards (Harlequins director of rugby) played a part in it, Dr Wendy Chapman did not.

"It is not the case of the General Medical Council that she was party to the planning and the carrying out of the cheating. She had no knowledge or active participation in it."

Mary O'Rourke, representing Dr Chapman, said Williams and the doctor were friends.

The winger "begged" the doctor to cut him because he feared his use of a fake blood capsule had been "rumbled", she said.

Williams admitted: "I asked her at least twice. I may have said: 'You have got to cut my lip'.

"Dr Chapman was initially completely against it and then I think Dr Chapman came around to the idea and reluctantly went along with it."

The doctor, who is married to Borough Green GP Dr Mick Dibble, told the panel the attempt to cover up the so-called injury "just seemed to spiral into a complete nightmare".

She said she could tell the red substance in Williams' mouth was not blood and described the moment she discovered she had been "duped".

"I was horrified, just horrified. This was a very huge game and they cheated," she said.

"I was very ashamed that I gave into the pressure."

The case continues