In a huge blow to the NRL ahead of this weekend’s season resumption, Cronulla Sharks centre Bronson Xerri has been provisionally suspended after testing positive to exogenous Testosterone, Androsterone, Etiocholanolone and 5b-androstane-3a,17b-diol – all of which are banned the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) and the NRL.
The positive A sample was collected during a test by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) in November last year, with the next step in the process being for Xerri’s B sample to be analysed.
The 19-year-old made his debut in Round 4 of last season, managing 13 appearances for the Sharks – including their lone final – and scoring 13 tries.
The NRL’s full statement on the matter reads as follows.
The National Rugby League (NRL) has today provisionally suspended Cronulla Sharks player Bronson Xerri under the NRL’s Anti-Doping Policy.
The Provisional Suspension Notice asserts that Mr Xerri returned a positive A-sample for exogenous Testosterone, Androsterone, Etiocholanolone and 5b-androstane-3a,17b-diol which are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the NRL’s Anti-Doping Policy. He was tested by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) on 25 November 2019.
Mr Xerri is prohibited from participating in any WADA compliant sport, including rugby league, while the provisional suspension is in place.
Under the Anti-Doping Policy, Mr Xerri now has the opportunity to have his B-sample analysed.
The NRL has spoken with Mr Xerri and advised him of the support services available to him.
The NRL will not be making further comment while this process is underway.
Cronulla’s full statement reads as follows.
The Sharks have today been made aware of the provisional suspension handed down to Bronson Xerri under the NRL’s Anti-Doping Policy.
Details of that provisional suspension and alleged breach of the anti-doping policy will be outlined in an NRL Media statement to be distributed today.
Bronson has been stood down from training and playing responsibilities while the process runs its course, which under the policy includes the opportunity to have his B-sample analysed.
The Club has been in contact with Bronson and has offered him full welfare support as he deals with this situation.
The Sharks will be making no further comment on the matter.
Davico
Roar Pro
The guy obviously has grown up with some bad influences in his life, and for that I feel sorry for him. But, you have to grow up at some stage, and when you are getting paid handsomely do something you would have begged your parents to do for free when you were a kid, you need to make some tough decisions. Saying NO to people you love is probably the hardest but most important!
Birdy
Roar Rookie
I just read the latest on Bronson's brother. Looks terrible now. What a total tragedy. I didn't know any of this before.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Bl**"y hell ,I just read the latest on his brother, certainly doesn't look good now. Also ,apparently the unknown source was someone from his junior footy days.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
So what has Bronson got to do with his brothers convictions. Are you trying to tar the whole family with the one brush? I'm hoping for the best outcome for an extremely young athlete and you want to convict without a trial. Wrong is wrong and should be punished, but at least I entitled to hope for the best for a teenager.
Davico
Roar Pro
It took almost 20 years for them to catch Lance Armstrong. Does it make him any less guilty? After all the whinging from the Sharks, the NRL, Essendon, the media etc after the peptide scandal do you blame ASADA for wanting to make sure they get it right?? Oh, and then there is the current situation where ASADA had staff affected with COVID-19 in March which shut down some of their labs. Do you really think they held this back on purpose knowing that all sport would be suspended and the NRL would be the first sport to come back, giving them the ideal opportunity to gain maximum exposure??? Here is a tip, look up Troy Xerri!
Birdy
Roar Rookie
So in the future I'll leave out my light hearted humour so as not to offend . Taking 6 months to announce a drug violation doesn't strike you as odd?
Davico
Roar Pro
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: Your joking right?!!! A meathead who can hardly string two sentences together, pled guilty and was suspended for using banned substances (knowingly or not), and has carried a grudge about it ever since?? And you want to talk about credibility? Give me a break.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
You should ask Paul gallon
Davico
Roar Pro
Can you please provide the evidence that ASADA is not credible? Also, do you believe everything the orange one says?
kk
Roar Pro
I agree Birdy. I should have phrased it better. I get disheartened when youth commit acts of gross human stupidity and blacken their future and cause grief to their families and friends. We will probably never get the full story.
Rob
Guest
No it's all ASADA's fault according to PG. Fancy Gallen suggesting a player injured could sue ASADA for Xerri being on the field. Please get this grub out of the Rugby League media. His view's particularly on drugs and foul play are embarrassing.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
He was one of my favourite young talents. If it was for injury recovery I hope they show leniency. In any case ASADA are as credible as the WHO these days.
Davico
Roar Pro
From the latest I am seeing it looks like he may be up for at least 4 years and potentially worse. Also sounds like someone at the Sharks has put him in.
Jon
Guest
Hi Paul, I suggest before you research the investigation processes of ASADA. They do not require a positive result to begin an investigation. Maybe I have missed the point on this particular issue, but you can’t be sure until we find out more. Are you sure that the initial test was random? Or could you have possibly missed the point?
David
Guest
Team Sport
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Dexter, Jon's missed the point on this particular issue. ASADA role in this case was simple; perform a blood test on a sample to determine if it contained illegal drugs. End of story. There's no investigation needed other than scientific testing. IF Xerri or the NRL asks them to investigate how he came to take these drugs, assuming he did, THEN they can go through the steps Jon mentioned, but as it stands, they only had to do a bog standard drug test. That's it.
Paul
Roar Guru
I agree thinks look bad for Xerri, but I come back to my original comment; I cannot see why it took 6 months to complete the testing on a blood sample. I gather from other media reports I'm not alone. You're right about Hooper, I guess he's paid to garner attention and these days, that seems to be coming up with far-fetched notions to explain something that might be as simple as " we had a backlog of tests to do and were understaffed".
Paul
Roar Guru
did you read JGK's post, to which I was responding, before making this comment?
danwain
Roar Rookie
Yeah look I was clearly wrong about the sprint coach though since the sample was taken in movements November last year
Nick
Roar Guru
You can, sure. But they offer discounts for snitching nonetheless. Xerri will surely argue has hard as he can that it was unintentional. Whether that is right or wrong will be up for debate.