The drugs scandal which engulfed the NRL earlier in the season has reared its head again, with the Sydney Roosters reportedly launching legal action against former sponsor over the incident.
Then-Roosters player Shaun Kenny-Dowall was arrested on drugs charges in May of this year, leading him to be stood down and later released by the club. The incident also saw Infinity Group Australia withdraw their sponsorship deal with the Roosters.
Kenny-Dowall pleaded guilty to drug possession but was not convicted over the matter, and is now playing for the Newcastle Knights, for whom he scored against the Roosters during his club debut.
Infinity also withdrew their back-of-jersey sponsorship deal with the Cronulla Sharks after their former CEO, Damian Keogh, stood down from his role at the club due to cocaine possession charges. Like Kenny-Dowall, Keogh escaped conviction but was placed on an 18-month good behaviour bond.
Fairfax Media is reporting the Sharks won’t be pursuing legal action against the group, having reached an “amicable split” with Infinity and signing a replacement deal with Bang & Olufsen.
However, Fairfax reports the Roosters will take their case to court, with a pre-trial conference set to take place later this month.
Infinity also withdrew their sponsorship of the Parramatta Eels following last year’s salary cap scandal.
The news that the Roosters are taking their former sponsors to court brings the drugs scandal back into the spotlight after it had dwarfed most coverage of representative round back in May.
In addition to Kenny-Dowall and Keogh, New Zealand captain Jesse Bromwich and teammate Kevin Proctor were filmed buying cocaine outside a Canberra nightclub hours after their side was comprehensively beaten by the Kangaroos in the annual Anzac Test.
Both players were handed suspensions for this year’s Rugby League World Cup, and both copped further sanctions from their clubs. Bromwich was suspended for two games by the Melbourne Storm, while Proctor missed four for the Gold Coast Titans.
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