Sandor Earl’s lawyer has accused the NRL of reacting to publicity and breaching ASADA’s national anti-doping policies by announcing that the former Penrith and Canberra winger faces multiple drug trafficking charges.
Chief operating officer Jim Doyle said on Tuesday he was hopeful the NRL’s anti-doping tribunal would convene to hear Earl’s case “as soon as possible” and revealed he’s facing charges of trafficking a number of prohibited substances of varying quantities.
These substances include the growth hormone Somatropin, Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMS), the anabolic agent Clenbuterol and the testosterone blend Sustanon in 2012 and 2013 during his spell playing for Canberra.
Tim Unsworth told the ABC’s 7.30 on Monday that ASADA had placed his client on its register of findings but omitted a previous allegation of trafficking the CJC-1295 peptide in 2011.
But following Doyle’s declarations on Tuesday, Unsworth said it was the first time any mention had been made of the tribunal sitting to hear the winger’s case since he was issued with an infraction notice 10 months ago.
“The NRL have compounded their error by a logarithmic scale. There’s some talk about trying to organise something for Sandor but they haven’t contacted me,” he told AAP.
“I last spoke to them on May 9 about trying to do something but it seems they only react to publicity.
“What they have done today is beyond the pale. There is a process for dealing with these allegations that is established by law.
“It seems the NRL is not interesting in not observing the law.
“It’s in breach of the national doping scheme and I don’t know why they consider themselves not bound by the scheme.”
Earl is the only player to be banned under the long-running ASADA drugs in sport investigation that has engulfed both the NRL and AFL following the infamous ‘darkest day in sport’ press conference 15 months ago..
Despite Unsworth’s claims, Doyle said he’s satisfied the NRL had followed all the right protocols.
“The allegation is multiple trafficking charges, we’re very comfortable with the process,” he said.
“We have an individual who admits to using performance-enhancing drugs and we’d no alternative but to stand him down.
“ASADA said there was no evidence of trafficking of a certain substance … but there is other substances involved here.
“We’re working to get this to a conclusion as soon as possible and we’re contacting the appropriate parties to make sure we get the anti-doping tribunal set up as soon as we can.”
Doyle admits to being surprised by the length of time it’s taken for anything to happen but reiterated the code has done everything in the correct fashion.
“If you go back to the ‘darkest day in Australian sport,’ none of us anticipated it would take as long as it’s taken,” he said.
“From the outset we’d said we’d work with ASADA on this and for us we said when we had facts, we’d act.
“We’re very comfortable with the process we have followed.”
Magic Sponge
Guest
the LeeHarvey Oswald of NRL
Grey nurse shark
Guest
Agreed when all is said and done most of the senior sharks involved will probebly be retired, well i hope anyway haha
Don
Roar Rookie
GNS, I don't think you can let them off even if they claim they were mislead. Just too hard to support the theory of "didn't know" when all players sign up accepting responsibility for any substances they take.... I am with you in regard to players who may have gone direct to Dank and his mates after Flanagan called a halt to things. Throw the book at them and toss them out. I suspect ASADA are still trying to get details on substances used at any club Dank visited / was contracted. This stuff could go on for years and years. They only need one credible source to set them off on a trail / reopen investigations.
Grey nurse shark
Guest
I believe if players went off site after Dank was fired after only 11 weeks( i like to throw that in as Dank was at other clubs for a lot longer) and got injections throw the book at them, but if they were injectd by being mislead by a man who was held in high esteem at manly for 5 yrs who set the benchmark they should be let off!!!
john badseed
Guest
Drugs aren't the scourge of the NRL, that would be match fixing. Start with certain refs being banned for 2 years and progress from there. Follow the paper trail as they did with the Storm. The fixers should be banned for life and with the effect it has had on punters they should be prosecuted and send to prison.
Don
Roar Rookie
Mate I feel for Sharks supporters. The truth will come out though whether it turn out good or bad for some players. Likely a bit of each I think.
Grey nurse shark
Guest
Thankyou Don, at the end of the day justice needs to take its coarse, im a sharks supporter obviously so its hard for me not to get emotional about the whole thing, its just some people post on here guilty until proven innocent, at the end of the day none of us actually know what went on with mr dank, how many players outside of earl and the sharks are probebly going to get away with being injected( i dont like to say cheats as in some cases players were told peps were legal), all i do know is this will drag on for a long time to come yet!!
Don
Roar Rookie
GNS. Earl admitted to the use of Peptide CJC-1295. That means he gets a 2 year ban unless he was able to negotiate his ban down by providing info etc to further assist enquiries to other cases. At best he still gets a year. If the trafficking is dropped then his 4 years goes to the 2 years for admitting use. But all I have heard is that the charge of trafficking CJC-1295 is dropped. Are there now other substances that he hasn't been charged with previously that have come up in further investigations? Now, I agree he should have had his 2 year ban confirmed by now but who knows what else ADASA have also investigated in relation to Earl? You also don't have to test positive to steroids etc to be found guilty of using them - it just takes a lot more investigation and time. I am not prepared to accept the opinion of a lawyer who is paid to get him off as anything close to being factual. I am also prepared to wait however long it takes if it means the I's are dotted and T's are crossed and people who have cheated will be unable to win a challenge of their bans in any tribunals.
Don
Roar Rookie
Marldon the NRL signed on to comply with WADA codes years ago and ASADA is effectively the Aus branch of WADA. So yes they are somewhat governed by ASADA rules when it comes to doping infractions. All the football codes in Australia are signatories to WADA. The AFL resisted but ultimately agreed after the Govt threatened to remove funding if they didn't comply. What this also means is that if a code wants to hand down lighter sentences than ASADA believes are fair and reasonable, ASADA can challenge the sanctions to WADA and any WADA decision is enforceable.
Grey nurse shark
Guest
You do realise most of your BS is taken from news limited stories, now for earl 10months ago nrl said it was just peptides now its all sorts of steroids that will show up in blood tests so he passed those drug tests so now they are basically saying hes a dealer, if they are wrong and according to earls lawyer who has a degree they are wrong and shouldnt have said a thing , i dare say leaving peps out of this, earl maybe able to retire from the defamation suit im sure earl will win!
Marldon
Guest
You don't need a degree in law, just an ability to see through the BS and a modicum of common sense. But most people don't want to listen to reason, BS is often comforting, that is why people like me who tell it as they see it are often derided. You are entitled to your views and so do I.
Grey nurse shark
Guest
Good ole marldon with his degree in law, you know the way this has been handled is a joke, nrl are upset that earl said a lot of the panthers were injected plus players from other clubs other than the scapegoat cronulla, now im not saying sharks are innocent but i am saying 1 club in trouble comp goes on but 5 clubs in trouble nrl has major problem, anyway doesnt matter what i say you ronnie hate the sharks and im shocked you didnt mention them in your post but then these days no one cares what you have to say!
Marldon
Guest
The last time I looked, the NRL is not governed by ASADA laws or procedures. In just the same way that ASADA has paid scant regard for the wishes of the NRL in this matter, why should it be silenced by the fact ASADA hasn't come clean yet. Asada's internal rules and procedures are NOT laws that govern the rest of us. Its high time all this was laid bare and the transgressors duly punished including all those players/drug cheats still having the honour of playing for their club, state & country.