Former NRL winger Sandor Earl has been suspended for four years under the NRL’s Anti-Doping Policy.
Earl has been banned for the trafficking, attempted trafficking and possession of banned peptides and substances, with the NRL’s Anti-Doping Tribunal handing down its verdict today.
26-year-old Earl’s suspension, backdated to 2013, will expire on 29 August 2017. By that time he will be 28, having given evidence to ASADA at age 24 while playing for the Canberra Raiders in 2013. He has been serving a provisional suspension since then.
He was the first player to be suspended after the ‘Darkest day in sport’ in early 2013, when the then Labor government announced the widespread use of peptides and involvement of organised crime in sport.
The Anti-Doping Tribunal was chaired by former High Court Judge The Hon Ian Callinan AC QC, and found Earl had violated the NRL’s Anti-Doping Policy in six areas.
He has 21 days to appeal the decision of the Tribunal.
The violations are:
– Use of CJC-1295 (eight violations)
– Possession of CJC-1295
– Trafficking in Somatropin
– Trafficking in Clenbuterol
– Attempted trafficking in SARMS
– Attempted trafficking in Testosterone
Nick Weeks, the head of the NRL’s integrity unit, has said the league remains committed to a sport without the use of banned substances.
“The NRL is committed to eliminating performance enhancing drugs. We want our game to provide a fair and safe environment for players and that means taking all reasonable steps to eradicate performance enhancing drugs from rugby league.”
Earl has long maintained that, having cooperated with the authorities from the outset, his time spent serving a ban has been comparatively harsh.
He has said as recently as August this year that he is keen to finish on his terms in the NRL, which remains a possibility after his suspension is over.
CRITTA
Guest
Okay so all the Sharks players pleaded guilty. So who supplied/trafficked substances to them. Can't supply and use yourself you know
CRITTA
Guest
okay . what are the Facts.? You seem to know , enlighten us with actual Facts!
Emcie
Roar Guru
Not arguing the punishment peeeko, just the consistency. So far sandor is the only player to cop any real punishment, even the martin Kennedy story seems to have been swept under the rug
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Meh. He should be given 4years alone for that #dorguson tattoo he got with he awesome blokes buddies Fergo and Dugan Lenient punishment
American Dave
Guest
To be fair, the bans handed out to the Sharks players were back dated, with all caps and match payments recognised, so the really oy were banned for 3-6 matches (depending on the likelihood of test selection). Does raise the question how we should view the SOO for that year as NSW fielded a player banned for peptide use. Maybe the win should have an asterisk.
SpongeBob
Guest
Right, so they know he trafficked all these drugs, yet they know 0 people he actually sold it too? Given no-one else has been banned, surely they're saying he's a dealer with no customers. Makes sense.
peeeko
Guest
Different circumstances and level of evidence. He was guilty of a lot more
peeeko
Guest
Different circumstances and level of evidence
peeeko
Guest
Different circumstances and level of evidence
peeeko
Guest
The former head of asada told me that it's the only decision possible for what he was proven guilty of. Have you read the evidence and the rules?
peeeko
Guest
Who single out gallen?
peeeko
Guest
No he was guilty with a long charge sheet that was proven
peeeko
Guest
Get your facts right, he didn't tell the truth
peeeko
Guest
He hasn't been harshly dealt with, it's the only punishment for what he was guilty of. That's not why I said - it was Richard ings
Pat Malone
Guest
He didn't tell the truth, read the article. Totally different circimstances
MJB
Guest
This is a farce. Sandor confesses, gets four years. Gallen and the other Sharks get... 11 months.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
They didn't traffic. They just willfully took injections
up up cronulla
Guest
Haha well played sir!
Nate
Guest
I'm no fan of Earl, or what he has done. However, as has already been pointed out this is a joke of epic proportions and I believe gives the NRL a big black eye. Lesson of the story - lie, deny, obfuscate and you will get off; tell the truth and you get screwed.
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
Unfortunately, up here in QLD the LNP did the same thing with the CCC. Which lead us to the farce that is Titans / Hunt cocaine scandal. So much money, so much waste. If only the Crime and Corruption Commission were looking into Health services contracts being won after significant LNP donations.