Cronulla a certainty

[FlyingBurittoBro]

Ipswich sharks 2016

 

[Andrew Mc]

Coaching Staff has just been sacked/stood down (delete for each person as needed)

About to get very messy. No names unless they are confirmed and cards to trolls

Names be here: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...anagan-four-others-sacked-20130308-2fqoi.html


Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan has been stood down in the wake of the scandal engulfing the NRL club.
Football manager Darren Mooney, head trainer Mark Noakes, physiotherapist Konrad Schultz and club doctor David Givney have been sacked.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

“Earlier this week we asked ASADA to provide us with the names of any player it currently has sufficient evidence to request the NRL issue an infraction notice under our anti-doping code.
“The response we received back from ASADA was that its investigation continues and will for a number of weeks.
“ASADA indicated it is not currently in a position to request the NRL to issue any infraction notices. Without an infraction notice, the NRL will not stand down any player.

Seems ASADA are relying on testimony from the past staffer and hoping a player comes forward. I was under the impression they had the goods now in order to get players to stand down. Not ASADA's fault but these things seem to require an element of good fortune and may be a massive bluff.

However to stand the coach down, and sack training and medical staff, through their own independent investigation, the club have conceded something illegal occurred.

I have never seen something in football that had such a veil of secrecy and uncertainty for so long.

 

[Andrew Mc]

Seems ASADA are relying on testimony from the past staffer and hoping a player comes forward. I was under the impression they had the goods now in order to get players to stand down. Not ASADA's fault but these things seem to require an element of good fortune and may be a massive bluff.

However to stand the coach down, and sack training and medical staff, through their own independent investigation, the club have conceded something illegal occurred.

I have never seen something in football that had such a veil of secrecy and uncertainty for so long.

Not sure they've done quite that, but they are certainly unhappy that they have been exposed to a serious risk (and perhaps even gone past that point). I think it's a good move.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-08/cronulla-sharks-press-conference-as-it-happaned/4561784

 

[storm fan]

NRL's support package for Cronulla: http://www.nrl.com/nrl-issues-support-package-to-sharks/tabid/10874/newsid/71050/default.aspx

But what's really interesting about this article is this

“ASADA indicated it is not currently in a position to request the NRL to issue any infraction notices. Without an infraction notice, the NRL will not stand down any player.

 

[Sanders]

Hey Cronulla players, we have no evidence but we've had a huge publicity campaign.

Please confess to something,
please,
please.

signed

ACC.

I laughed because this is pretty much spot on, and funny

 

[Sanders]

Seems ASADA are relying on testimony from the past staffer and hoping a player comes forward. I was under the impression they had the goods now in order to get players to stand down. Not ASADA's fault but these things seem to require an element of good fortune and may be a massive bluff.

However to stand the coach down, and sack training and medical staff, through their own independent investigation, the club have conceded something illegal occurred.

I have never seen something in football that had such a veil of secrecy and uncertainty for so long.

They'd need a LOT more than just a single whistleblower making allegations. They'd need dates, times, situations, documents, invoices, logs, diaries, corroborating evidence etc

 

[robbieando]

It appears that the club has been advised by an expert from outside the club that the players should confess and that would get them reduced bans in return for payments and extended contracts from the club and not ASADA directly as no player has been charged with a drug offence and for someone at the Sharks or the NRL to do so would be committing a criminal offense.​

​

This article sums up the process as it should take place and the mis-information that has been going on:​

​

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/an-illadvised-confession-to-drug-taking-could-lead-to-a-life-ban-20130308-2fqvh.html#ixzz2MxV1IZjy​

​

An ill-advised confession to drug taking could lead to a life ban

​

​

THE Cronulla players have rightly refused to sign a legal document confessing to drug taking in return for a supposed reduction in sentence – and full pay – because such conditions are not on the table from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.
The players should be seeking independent legal advice, rather than rely on a Sharks representative, who, despite his drugs background and understanding of the process, is acting in the interests of the club.

The critical fallacy is that the drug was "legal" in 2011 when the players were taking it. This is wrong. Peptide hormones and their chemical cousins are banned and were also banned in 2011 under the World Anti-Doping Agency code. Another misconception is that players who "confess" will automatically be given a reduced sentence. ASADA doesn't give unconditional guarantees about the length of sentence because each case is considered on its merits. Such a consideration for a shorter time out of the game will occur only after a player is formally charged by the ASADA for a drugs offence. And those discussions will be directly between ASADA and the player, or his legal representative, in top secrecy, not with someone appointed by the Sharks club. Such is the heavy-handed nature of the laws surrounding the ASADA Act, anyone from the Sharks administration – or the NRL – claiming to know of which players are involved and the circumstances of their drugs involvement, are committing a criminal offence.

The players should be acutely aware, too, that any reduction in the mandatory two-year drugs ban is only given in exceptional circumstances. And some players might be horrified to discover that if any of them have been caught encouraging the use of the peptides in any of the taped phone conversations, or if their abuse of the drugs was extensive and systemic, they could be classified as being traffickers and the length of their suspension may not be two years, but an end to their sporting career.
Confessing to taking drugs, sadly, is not exceptional in the sports world. However, in any deal making with ASADA, players would have to come forward with who supplied the drug, how often they were taking it and who else was taking it. Names, dates, places – all of the details – would have to be divulged..

 

[Hap Hapablap]

this really doesnt look for cronulla considering the financial strife they have been in for some time.

whats the more worrying thing is if this issue is widespread in the league. could be catastrophic for not only the nrl but the other leagues involved too.

 

[Northern_Union]

Might i ask where the AFL is at with this because the only news we're hearing in NZ is about the Sharks. But as i understand it Dank was involved with AFL clubs also was he not?

 

[robbieando]

Might i ask where the AFL is at with this because the only news we're hearing in NZ is about the Sharks. But as i understand it Dank was involved with AFL clubs also was he not?

Essendon are under ASADA investigation for practices undertaken at the club last year. There is a decluded thought they might only cop AFL sanctions, but that's been blown out of the water with what's happened at the Sharks

 

[Andrew Mc]

NRL's support package for Cronulla: http://www.nrl.com/nrl-issues-support-package-to-sharks/tabid/10874/newsid/71050/default.aspx

But what's really interesting about this article is this

I think the NRL are acting pretty well here. Giving the club a hand in a bad time. Hope things work out for the Sharks.

 

[storm fan]

Might i ask where the AFL is at with this because the only news we're hearing in NZ is about the Sharks. But as i understand it Dank was involved with AFL clubs also was he not?

It has been stated that the Sharks are the first off the blocks and what we are seeing with the Sharks right now is likely to be the blueprint for investigations into 5 other NRL clubs and as many as 9 possible AFL clubs including Essendon.

 

[robbieando]

It has been stated that the Sharks are the first off the blocks and what we are seeing with the Sharks right now is likely to be the blueprint for investigations into 5 other NRL clubs and as many as 9 possible AFL clubs including Essendon.

The Bombers we know about, the Cats and Suns have said they are happy to work with the AFL and ASADA because their employment of either Dank or Dean Robertson, but aren't in the ACC report. There is a unknown player at an unknown club that is in the ACC report for PED use. I don't know where your getting 9 AFL clubs from other than the "not on banned list excuse" that most people seem to be accepting about the Sharks.

 

[Aucklander]

Roy Masters article.

The Cronulla Sharks board stood down coach Shane Flanagan and sacked four other key staff members because the directors believe they knew about alleged doping procedures at the club and kept it hidden.

The board believe Flanagan had enough evidence of the alleged doping to ban the practice and report it. A club insider said the board claimed that when injections began on the eve of the 2011 season, Flanagan allegedly said: ''I don't want to know about this.''

I wonder how long Elkin will last at the Eels?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Now we have salary cap breaches as well. Actual under the table payments. How can these perennial under achievers be on the gear, come nowhere near a flag, and still need to be paid outside the cap?

Shattered.

 

[robbieando]

Roy Masters article.



I wonder how long Elkin will last at the Eels?

Not long one would think, but Ricky's support tends to go far these days.

This part of Roy's article caught my interest

If rugby league wants to play internationally and receive federal grants, it must abide by WADA rules. Five women players at the recent North Korea FIFA World Cup were found guilty of doping and banned for two years, while the North Korean women's soccer team is banned from the next World Cup, effectively a four-year ban, punishing players who were not even part of the last World Cup squad. If Australia wishes to compete in the Rugby League World Cup this year, the Sharks may have to take the fall. The Sharks believe their co-operation with ASADA will save the club from sanction but are unsure of the WADA implications.

Back to back World Cup's for the Kiwi's

But the other part that points to the NRL wanting the Sharks to move to Perth in return for this support is another interesting point out of the article.

 

[Northern_Union]

Certainly the Sharks moving to Perth is going to solve many problems.

 

[cos789]

Certainly the Sharks moving to Perth is going to solve many problems.

And create new ones.
Hard to accept a new club just because somewhere else kicked them out for using horse drugs, salary cap breaches and perenial under performance.

.

 

[Baldur]

When the players took it in 2011 it was legal, as did many other NRL & AFL clubs. They are being invesigated for continued use of the supplements in 2012 after it was banned.

The media has been saying this, they are wrong.

Here is the links to the 2011 list.

http://www.wada-ama.org/Documents/W...be_effective/WADA_Prohibited_List_2011_EN.pdf

Check S2 and the Wikipedia entries for the two relevant substances. Clearly comes under

"and other substances with similar chemical structure or similar biological effect"

 

[robbieando]

And create new ones.
Hard to accept a new club just because somewhere else kicked them out for using horse drugs, salary cap breaches and perenial under performance.

.

Other than the Horse Drugs, Sydney accepted the Swans just fine.....

 

[Mint Condition]

When the players took it in 2011 it was legal, as did many other NRL & AFL clubs. They are being invesigated for continued use of the supplements in 2012 after it was banned.

The point that the majority of the media have missed is that just because a drug is not yet on WADA's prohibited list does not mean it is legal. Many performance enhancing drugs (and at least one of those that has been alleged to have been taken here) are ones which have never been approved for therapeutic use in humans. The WADA code specifically mentions this.

New PED's are being created all the time. There is a lag between them first going through clinical trials and so on and being added to the WADA list. This does not mean they are legal before that time. If that was the case then legally taking performance enhancing drugs in sport would be the easiest thing in the world.

 

[skipper kelly]

up up cronulla

 

[Beetlebum]

12-10 great way to start a difficult season.

 

[Aucklander]

Happy for you Sharks fans. Takes some spine to come out and play that way after all that's happened.