The ASADA scandal is threatening to cast a pall over another rugby league season with the Cronulla Sharks, Shane Flanagan and Trent Elkin submitting appeals against NRL sanctions on Wednesday.
Cronulla, suspended Sharks coach Flanagan, and banned trainer Elkin, now with Parramatta, all submitted their responses to the breach notices issued last month by the NRL.
All parties had previously indicated an intention to challenge the sanctions handed down on December 17 after the NRL completed its governance review of issues at the Sharks during 2010 and 2011.
Cronulla were hit with a $1 million fine, Flanagan with a one-year ban and Elkin with a two-year ban.
The NRL review handed down on December 17 said the “findings have identified serious failures on the part of the club and certain individuals who had a responsibility to safeguard the health and welfare of its players”.
Earlier this month, Sharks skipper Paul Gallen told AAP that Flanagan intended to contest his ban.
Reports Flanagan has hired a high powered legal team suggest he is digging in for a long fight.
In announcing it had received the submissions on Wednesday, the NRL gave no timeframe for when it would make a final decision.
“NRL Chief Executive, Mr Dave Smith, has today received submissions from the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Club, Mr Shane Flanagan and Mr Trent Elkin regarding the breach notices issued on December 17 last year,” read the release issued on Wednesday afternoon.
“Now that those submissions have been received, Mr Smith will take as much time as is needed to give full and proper consideration to the responses made by the Sharks club, Mr Flanagan and Mr Elkin before a final determination is made.”
Once that decision is handed down – if it is not to the liking of the Sharks, Flanagan or Elkin – the matter could be dragged through the courts, and dragged on for much of 2014.
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation into the issue remains ongoing almost a year since Australian sport’s so-called “darkest day” on February 7 last year.
Canberra winger Sandor Earl, who was issued with a breach notice in August following his admission to the use and trafficking of a peptide, is the only player charged.
Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, Earl was entitled to an expedited process after his admission but the length of his ban is still yet to be confirmed.
HOW THE NRL DRUGS SAGA UNFOLDED IN 2013:
* February 7 – Australian Crime Commission (ACC) announces a year-long investigation has uncovered widespread use of drugs in Australian sport. NRL appoints former Federal Court judge Tony Whitlam to probe the allegations* February 12 – Cronulla, Manly, Newcastle, North Queensland, Penrith and Canberra announce they were implicated in the ACC’s report, and discuss possible amnesties with ASADA for players and officials who come forward early
* February 13 – Cronulla reveal part of their 2011 season is under scrutiny but that no players have tested positive for performance-enhancing substances
* February 14 – ASADA says it expects to interview about 150 people as part of its “unprecedented” doping investigation
* March 6 – Cronulla confirm meeting with ASADA. Bookies suspend betting on the Sharks’ season-opener against Gold Coast
* March 8 – Cronulla stand down coach Shane Flanagan on full pay pending a management review at the club, and sack football general manager Darren Mooney, head trainer Mark Noakes, club doctor David Givney and physio Konrad Schultz. Bruno Cullen appointed new interim CEO
* March 13 – Damian Irvine quits as Cronulla chairman following reports he claimed players were injected with horse drugs in 2011
* March 20 – NRL confirms ASADA will interview 31 players after completing the first phase of its investigation
* March 22 – Flanagan reinstated as Sharks coach following a second review by consultancy firm Grant Thornton
* April 3 – Cronulla appoint Steve Noyce as general manager of football
* April 29 – Sharks back-rower Wade Graham becomes first NRL player to be interviewed by ASADA. The authority later suspends interviews with NRL players, with lawyers from both sides at loggerheads over how much information players are required to divulge
* May 12 – Extracts of a report by ex-ASADA deputy chair Dr Tricia Kavanagh published by News Corp Australia, claiming the Sharks employed a systematic regimen of peptides in 2011 in a program of injections, tablets and creams over an 11-week period while sports scientist Stephen Dank was linked to the club
* May 30 – ASADA CEO Aurora Andruska tells a Senate estimates hearing 113 interviews had been conducted and more than 50,000 documents examined since February 7
* June 27 – Federal parliament passes laws that grant ASADA powers to compel suspect athletes and others to hand over documents and turn up for questioning, with a fine of up to $5100 for those who don’t – effective August 1
* July 22 – The NRL issues directives to 30 players and support staff – including 10 from Cronulla – to schedule interviews with ASADA. The league says it will step in to ensure cooperation between interviewees and investigators
* July 29 – Cronulla reinstate sacked trainer Noakes, reach a settlement with long-time team doctor Givney and physiotherapist Schultz and resume talks with axed football manager Mooney. The Sharks also apologise and publicly retract statements they made that might have caused damage to the reputations of the four men and their families
* July 29 – Interim CEO Cullen quits the Sharks
* July 31 – Cronulla appoint Steve Noyce as interim CEO
* August 1 – ASADA begins interviews with 30 NRL players and support staff
* August 6 – Sharks skipper Paul Gallen and Manly’s Anthony Watmough’s mobile phones reportedly seized by Customs at Sydney Airport
* August 20 – ABC’s 7.30 program alleges cash payments were made to Sharks captain Gallen outside the salary cap and the existence of a private bank account – operated by coach Flanagan – off the club’s books
* August 21 – NRL CEO Dave Smith confirms the “high performance unit” bank account is being investigated by the Integrity Unit
* August 29 – Canberra winger Sandor Earl is suspended and issued with a NRL infraction notice after admitting to using and trafficking the banned peptide CJC-1295. He is the first player, in either the NRL or AFL, to be charged as a result of ASADA’s doping investigation
* September 25 – Reports emerge the NRL is considering relocating Cronulla to Queensland if the club is burdened with a multi-million dollar fine arising from ASADA’s probe
* December 11 – ARL Commissioners and NRL integrity unit meet for 10 hours on the progress of the investigation into Cronulla’s 2011 supplements program
* December 13 – ASADA interviews supplement salesman Darren “The Gazelle” Hibbert
* December 17 – The NRL announces its provisional findings against Cronulla, proposing the club be slapped with a $1 million fine, coach Flanagan be suspended for 12 months, and the cancellation of former strength and conditioning coach Trent Elkin’s registration.
* January 29 – Cronulla, Flanagan and Elkin lodge their responses to the NRL sanctions
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
To reinforce my argument Marldon on the matter of the development and no doubt its eventual impact :- http:www.sharks.com.au http://www.sharks.com.au/news-display/100M-in-property-snapped-up-at-Woolooware-Bay-VIP-Launch/89849
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
To reinforce my argument Marldon on the matter of the development and no doubt its eventual impact :- http://www.sharks.com.au/news-dsiplay/100M-in-property-snapped-up-at-Woolooware-Bay-VIP-Launch/89849
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Now you are hitting the money ball Marldon. The facts are the rental income from the retail development est to be $1m pa on current year levels and no doubt increase over the 99 year lease period.That will be continuous cash flow .not a one off. The remaining units are set to bring in a oncer of $30m to the club .Judging by the performance of the earlier stage 1,that is a high probability. The League club itself will be refurbished as part of the retail developmet,and will have facilities like cafes and open deck restaurants to Botany Bay.That will ensure more custom and income for the club. I further note the League club has been operating at a profit in the past couple of years, and it was the high interest bill that chopped that up.That high debt has been reduced dramatically.The figure is around $3.5m.In fact manageable. A retail precinct and if you like ,a captive audience of 600 plus unit residents will add to the increased patronage. The very reason I refuted Ian's colourful description of the club's predicament. Not suggesting they are bomb proof,but I have no knowledge to the extent of claims,only that the club has factored in worst case scenario,under which they say they can survive.There is a completely new board in place,with people who are not mugs.And rest assured the new board will ensure money is not spent willy nilly,and engaging legal people is not taken lightly.I understand your beloved Captn in fact purchased one of the units. The people behind the development are adamant the club survives as it enhances the overall development.And they wiil back the club financially to ensure this happens. I am not naïve enough to believe there will not be tough times ahead,that is almost a given.But I have been involved with this club for decades,and have seen it pull itself out of the doldrums,in far worse financial scenarios than this.They had no real money producing asset backing in the past. You tend to forget that a total of 31 players/officials were involved in allegations,that leaves a fair smattering of people not involved with Cronulla.
Marldon
Guest
Understand where you are coming from Crosscoder and to an extent you are right, however there are certain facts and suppositions that can be made which is what Ian is alluding to even if a little over enthusiastically. The fact is that the shonkies are seeing this land deal as a never ending gravy train and they are spending money like Jackie Onasis. Money that they haven't earned yet and money that they are likely to never replace from the cash drain that is the footballing side of things. Add in the shonkies previous high debts, their fines from the NRL, legal fees whatever they may be, compensation for any player in whatever club that gets banned as a direct result of what they took at Cronulla in good faith, law suits - the ones already in the pipeline plus others like Captain Boofhead who are highly likely to sue for loss of reputation and you can very quickly see that not everything in the shire is rosy. The shonkies might be financially OK in time but it would be naive in the extreme to think they are bomb proof.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Nathan.the Sharks do not get a slice of the residential sales profits until unit no 315 out of the 600 plus that will be on offer. The fact they sold $100m worth in 8 hours yesterday ,on Stage 1 which is the lesser of the unit offerings,as they will not have the water views of the later stages,is a pointer to the monies expected later.Which looks very promising. The club will of course secure an expected rental of $1m pa on the retail development when completed. Which gets me to the comments by Ian ,and his profane description of the Shark's predicament. .I would ask him to please elaborate with his full knowledge on the full picture on the final NRL penalty.law suits by any player,legal costs to date ,ASADA final decision and any infraction notices.Then contrast the minuses with his knowledge of what the Shark's have or will have at their disposal (via Insurance ,developers input or NRL time pay) to offset the negatives.Leaving out potential new sponsors or memberships. Added to this the club noted they have worked on worst case scenario. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to make a profound statement about their situation ,unless I knew the " end game".Yes we know it will not be pretty,but that is not the finality.
nathan
Guest
Well well well weve been offered 11million sponsership as well , im not stupid we probebly cant accept it because its a internet dating site but its an offer regardless
Marldon
Guest
Congratulations Nathan, now if the shokies had a viable footballing operation that would be a real reason for celebration. Unfortunately all it does is prolong the agony. Think of it this way, a few short years ago, the shonkies agreed to this development. if they had not or if the local council demanded their land back or if the government had rejected the planning application then by now, the shonkies would be bust. No question about it. As soon as the drug thing hit, St George Bank would have demanded their money back and chances are we would have had a Perth team in the NRL for 2014. As it is, that damned land deal has prolonged the slow painful death that will inevitably occur. In any sane world, the shonkies would be finished. Unfortunately the long suffering rugby league fan must continue to suffer and not for a rugby league team but for a housing development that gives an excuse for a team a right of existence.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Nathan, Temporarily. Now, imagine you're on a jury, and Easts gave some footy player or other some drug that could kill him if he got hit, and he came back from a game with his whole left side covered in bruises. You're all in for whatever those lousy Roosters have, yeah ? Now you understand why Cronulla is f.cked.
nathan
Guest
Hey i just heard the sharks development sold 100 million worth which we get 1/3 of, guess we are right for cash hey ronnie!!
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Well it's pretty obvious Ronald M makes up maldron but Gould doesn't give up much of 2 teams bar the riff and the premiers. But they don't seem like sharks hating fans usually
nathan
Guest
Ahhh well no I didnt notice that as ive been to busy throwing up reading your posts, I suppose you would have to change your name as you were so hated on that other site, I used to debate you under the name 'sharky of blue haven' but decided to use my real name as i have nothing to hide like some people!!!
Marldon
Guest
Just missing Manly now then I got the set! P.S. News don't own Melbourne do they ?
Squidward
Roar Rookie
North Queensland and Melbourne. News limited darlings, prob buy the daily telegraph too on subscription
Marldon
Guest
Try the anagram, everyone else has or is that too difficult for shonky fans.
Muzz
Guest
Are they 3 RU memberships????Someone that loves footy doesn't death ride a club.They understand that all clubs have had their bad moments in history .....What sort of a fan doesn't disclose who they support,not a true fan and someone that has something to hide.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Watch this space.
nathan
Guest
Geez you sound like ronald m from another site!
Marldon
Guest
3 club memberships for 2014 and a lifetime supporting the game I love. That is my contribution. That and exposing the shonkies for the shambles that they are not fit for membership of the worlds elite R.L. competition.
Marldon
Guest
Have told you lot many times that I support 2 teams in fact for 2014 I have actually purchased 3 club memberships albiet that 2 of those are "country" memberships only (now theres a clue). However, I will not tell you who those clubs are because all that does is distract us from the real issue at hand. Improving the NRL by getting Cronulla kicked out.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Contributes nothing. Doesn't even say who he follows