The majority of past and present Cronulla Sharks NRL players implicated in the ASADA scandal have elected to accept bans proposed by the anti-doping authority.
It’s been reported the bulk of the 17 players and ASADA have agreed to back-dated 12-month suspensions on Friday morning.
Of the players involved, there are 10 current NRL players that will be stood down from playing immediately.
The back-dated suspensions will see players miss just three regular season matches, however some will suffer the disappointment of missing finals and representative opportunities as a result.
After accepting the ban, NSW State of Origin captain Paul Gallen will not feature for the Kangaroos in the upcoming Four Nations tournament.
Cowboy’s centre Matthew Wright will miss North Queensland’s finals run, as well as playing for Samoa in the Four Nations tournament.
Newcastle’s Jeremy Smith will also miss out on representing New Zealand in the competition.
Additional players set to just miss the three NRL games include Wade Graham, Anthony Tupou and Nathan Gardner (Cronulla), Kade Snowden (Newcastle), along with Luke Douglas and Albert Kelly (Gold Coast).
In accepting the proposed ban, players were required to admit their involvement in Cronulla’s 2011 supplements program, and that they were treated with banned peptides.
The decision of players to agree to these terms is believed to have been driven by assurances communicated from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), that the terms of the agreement would not be appealed by the international body.
The Sharks players had been given until 9.30am on Friday to accept the deal.
A delay in correspondence with WADA had the Sharks’ lawyers sweating on the deadline, forcing players to buy time for their response on Friday morning.
Former Sharks, Paul Aiton and Ben Pomeroy, who are now based in the Super League, have reportedly rejected the offer.
It is understood that a small number of players are still yet to provide a response – their identities are not yet known.
The bans effectively decimate Cronulla’s player options for their wooden spoon decider against the Raiders on Sunday.
With AAP.
Bob Herbert
Guest
Now there's a very rationally-thought-out and entirely unprovoked insult.
C
Guest
I have just read that the world anti-doping authority has not given any assurances at this Time so as you were (again Australian media providing misinformation)
Squidward
Roar Rookie
ASADA have only been soft cause they know they have nothing and are offering this 1 yr suspensions to save face
AGO74
Guest
Yep - after an 18 month investigation asada give the players < 48 hours with an offer to finish it with a slap on the wrist 3 week deal. Or you continue the interminable saga for god knows how long. I know what I'd do even if you genuinely believe you did nothing wrong.
fiver
Guest
wow, are queenslanders capable of rational thought?
Trenno
Guest
@BA Sports, how do you know they knew they were taking illegal drugs? The people that were place in positions of power at the club they were playing for told them it was above board. One player has lost his life since playing for the club which many believe contributed to his condition. Another bruised so bad that he had to be stood down to recover and no longer has a career in the NRL. The only reason they have signed today is that this has been a constant noose around their necks for the last 2 years, heck anyone would have signed that offer, even if you believed you had done nothing wrong and all you did was trust what you were being told, just to move on with their lives. They will be filthy they have had to make this decision. The club has a duty of care over the players that they have failed to keep and therefore liable for any mitigation that comes of it.
Jo M
Guest
Not in the top 10? Every single commentator, both on TV and radio and that includes Qld commentators as well, all say how much work he does and has been doing for years.
Jo M
Guest
Agree with you Eagle Jack. Even on the sports show on 2UE tonight Greg Alexander said these players are given cups and told when to drink it, they are given creams and told when to put it on. Injections? Who knows how many do it? People who have vitamin loss can get Vitamin B12 injections. As anyone with a family member involved in elite sport knows, their diets, supplements and recovery are laid out and are expected to be followed to the letter and they will know if you don't follow. They are told what to eat and when, what to drink and when and the recovery sessions and when. I feel for these guys. They get 45 minutes before the deadline to make up their minds. I am told that Gallen didn't want to plead guilty. I am more than happy to support him.
Trenno
Guest
Italy cheated in the final moments of the 2006 FIFA World Cup quarter final against Australia but the Football world weren't going to change the result. Let bygones by bygones and move on.
Trenno
Guest
I'm a massive Queensland supporter but dont think NSW should be stripped of this years title. If anything it shows how good the Maroons were to win in 2011 when Gallen was juiced up. 2012 and 2013 he would have still been under the effects if what one reads about these peptides are true.
Jo M
Guest
Have they been shown any evidence though? I heard on Sydney radio late this afternoon that they hadn't been. WADA hadn't given any assurances and it wasn't until 45 minutes before the deadline that the players were given any assurances. It is up to ASADA to prove their guilt (which they haven't done due to no court case) and not up to the players to prove their innocence.
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
As a Sharks fan I am sad for the club. However to get 3 weeks punishment is an absolute shambles. Systemic doping for god knows how long is worth less than one swinging arm in the heat of the moment? Give me a break. And I will never support them again if they bring back Flanagan
eagleJack
Guest
The evidence would have shown that the players took the banned substances. Hence why they took the deal. Ultimately they are responsible for what goes into their bodies. But they would not have known they took the substances. They put full faith in their club and were badly letdown. It was for such an insignificant period of time that they will never be considered drug cheats in my eyes. Knowingly cheating, and being duped are completely different crimes. Some won't see the difference. But it is significant.
Jayrigg
Guest
My advice to you Renegade is to see it for what it is. Cheating. When are people going to put their one-eyed ness to one side here? The example has to be set somewhere down the line. Somebody has to stand up and take some responsibility which Paul Gallen clearly has not. He is a professional sportsman and captain of his club and state. We are the first in this country to go about other people cheating and how clean we are. All that is now gone. We (or some of us) wheel out conspiracy theories about ASADA , governments, newspapers, in the hope that it will go away and we can watch our team at the weekend, Gallen is a cheat end of ,and the worse thing is he is also a skipper. He has to resign and for once in his life take some responsibility.
Bobby
Guest
lol Fiver, if the players are innocent they can sue the crap out of the NRL for false accusations, the NRL are taking it easy on the player and they know it.
Bobby
Guest
They have admitted their guilt by taking the suspensions. Really AGO keep up.
Arthur fonzarelli
Guest
Complete joke . So now the clubs that play cronulla over the final 3 rounds get an unfair advantage over the field , thus compromising the integrity of the comp . A back dated suspension ?? Pure absurdity . Guilty players should be facing at least a ban for the entire 2015 season .
Liatrevlis
Guest
There's one bloke you sharkies can thank , he should be barred for life , the coach at the time
AL
Guest
Gary Magpie, you reflect what a lot of people are thinking. And those that are embarrassing themselves are the "poor players", "no evidence" "not the players fault". Used to be Aussie could see through the spin and confusion that was created by the media and players mates in the media. Pure and simple "ignorance" is no excuse. Gary Magpie may voices like yours never diminish.
Bluebag
Guest
The reality is that this investigation relates to a small period of a few weeks back in 2011, so calls for Origin or Test results to be negated is ridiculous. Whilst there was a leadership vacuum at the club due to a lack of resources, the new administration may be left holding the can if there is any further legal action, as appears likely.