The GMC has ruled that the doctor at the centre of the rugby Bloodgate scandal can practise medicine again.

Wendy Chapman cut the lip of Harlequins rugby player Tom Williams to cover up a bogus blood injury and later lied about her role in the event. Dr Chapman was suspended by the GMC in September 2009.

At the hearing in Manchester, the panel ruled that at the time of the events, her fitness to practise “was impaired”.

But it said “looking forward”, Dr Chapman’s fitness to practise was not impaired despite her actions, which it said were not in the best interests of her patient.

Dr Chapman admitted cutting the lip of the player to try to cover up a fake injury and later lying to a European Rugby Cup hearing.

The GMC hearing was told that Dr Chapman had been suffering from a “major depressive disorder” before the incident. She was also awaiting the result of breast cancer tests, the GMC panel heard.

Dr Chapman is currently recovering from breast cancer surgery, which took place in July.

Read more at BBC Health.