Former Parramatta Eels player Michael Jennings has been suspended for three three years for breaches of the NRL’s anti-doping rules.
Jennings, who left the Eels in May, admitted to anti-doping rule violations of presence and use of prohibited substances LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and Ibutamoren. He waived his right to a hearing before the NRL anti-doping tribunal and accepted the sanction.
The three-year sanction includes a one-year reduction for admission and acceptance of sanction in accordance with the provisions of the WADA Code, the NRL said in a statement.
Jennings’ suspension commenced on the date of his sample collection on September 21, 2020 and he would be eligible to return to competition on 21 September 2023.
The 33-year-old was suspended on the morning of Parramatta’s semi-final against South Sydney last year.
The former NSW and Kangaroos player joined the Eels in 2016 after stints with the Panthers and Roosters and won a premiership with the latter in 2013, scoring a try in the grand final win over Manly.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
exactamundo - how many years had he been on the juice?
Bill
Guest
My bet is there’s at least a good handful of others, the drug testing in the NRL is pathetic, unable to test during off season for example. It’s a farce. Bill
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Well, it’s just one player out of hundreds. Given the incredible benefits that PEDs provide, particularly in overcoming injury, it’s pretty clear that the 4 year penalty is an effective deterrent.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
What does making it to 300 games mean if it’s done as a drug cheat?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
clearly the potential 4 year ban isn’t a big enough deterrent. No doubt someone like Bronson Xerri will be smashing it out at the gym during their ban, all while having the ability to juice as much as they want as there is no drug testing then just before their ban expires they can lay off the roids so if / when testing starts again they will be negative.
Tony
Roar Guru
That's going to be hard to live down
G Len N
Roar Rookie
I wonder how long he had got away with it? Could this really be the first time?
Eelsalmighty
Roar Rookie
It's a shame. I'm reminded of an old joke, which I won't tell in its entirety, and I assume most would probably know anyway, but it's about an old man reflecting on all the positive things he had done in his life, and ends with the way he's viewed now/the only thing he'd be remembered for, which involved a goat, but only once. He (Jennings) was a great player/achieved so much, but this incident will probably tarnish it all. P.S, my one (metaphorical, and metaphorical only) "goat" was voting for Paul Keating (the only time I've ever voted Labor), and I still get grief about it.
Phil
Roar Rookie
Why do they do it? With the amount of drug testing in modern sport, the cheats are most likely to be caught. This is a disgraceful act from someone who should have been chasing a lucrative contract in the twilight of his career. He should have been doing everything by the rules, but, he chose otherwise. No pity for him at all.
Bill
Guest
Only makes me wonder who else might be guilty of this and not been picked up, hard to believe it’s just one guy doing it. I wonder if they’re testing frequently and we’ll enough. Bill
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Absolutely. It appears Gus's lesson of humility, in forcing Jennings to go around the ground after a game handing out free tickets to their next home game in order to give the fans a chance to give Jennings a piece of their mind, never had any lasting affect. Jennings was a talented player but ultimately too dumb to adapt to an evolving game. A truly pitiful way to end such a decorated career. He ended up 2 games short and agonisingly close to playing 300 first-grade games in the NRL (298 NRL games).
Tony
Roar Guru
What a disappointing way to end a career.