Dean Riohards took the first steps towards appealling his three-year worldwide ban last night when he attempted to play down his role in the cover-up of the 'bloodgate' scandal.

Following his ban by the European Rugby Cup - later extended to all competitions by the International Rugby Board - Richards is considering his position as he awaits the full ERC judgment on the fake blood affair. Last night he released a statement in which he claimed Tom Williams instigated the ensuing cover-up following the wing's bogus blood injury in Harlequins' Heineken Cup defeat to Leinster.

Richards said: "I have always been passionate about rugby and in the dying minutes of that quarter-final, I allowed my passion for the club to compromise my judgment.

"I ordered a blood substitution to be made using fake blood. Thankfully the substitution did not affect the outcome of the game. Some eight days later I was told by Tom Williams that, at his direction, he had his lip cut to make it appear as if there had been a real injury if anyone asked to look at it. Believing this to be true, I felt a duty to safeguard the position of those involved.

"From then on, with the agreement of Tom Williams, I suggested the fabrication of a story which was obviously wrong."

The former director of rugby of Quins is under investigation over claims he has played a part in four separate fake blood injuries and the Rugby Football Union will wait until the ERC's judgment before deciding to take further action.

Richards is mulling over taking his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and while the RFU and Quins refused to comment on his statement last night, the 46-year-old faces the prospect of further sanctions.