Lets just say, more news......
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...prior-to-matches/story-e6frexnr-1226598549985
CRONULLA players were allegedly injected with the performance-enhancing peptide CJC-1295 on at least two occasions prior to matches during the 2011 season.
The development forms a major element of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's investigation into what occurred at the Sharks during the controversial 11-week window when sports scientist Stephen Dank was at the club.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the injections were sanctioned under Cronulla's supplements program designed by ex-head trainer Trent Elkin, with players allegedly informed they were being injected with "amino acids".
The Daily Telegraph has been told the injections were administered at Cronulla's captain's run at Shark Park, a traditional final hit-out most NRL teams hold 24 hours prior to a game.
Dank has repeatedly denied giving any NRL player any substance on the World Anti-Doping Authority's banned list. CJC-1295 is a synthetic substance designed to promote human growth hormone.
Crucially, it was not included on the WADA banned list by name until September 2011.
But, equally as important to the Sharks investigation, WADA rules also stipulate any substance which promotes human growth hormone is banned, meaning athletes found exploiting loopholes in the system can still face two years on the sidelines.
Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan, who was stood down by the club last Friday, maintained he was unaware of any player being injected with CJC-1295 at Sharks training sessions.
"I've got no idea about any of that, it's just another rumour" Flanagan said. "Our supplements were provided by Dank and they were all approved at the time.
"I wasn't aware of it at the time. Whether I've been naive or stupid, time will tell. Our players are still adamant they've done nothing wrong. Everything Trent Elkin told them to take was approved at the time."
The Daily Telegraph has been told several Sharks players were on the cusp of accepting six-month bans 11 days ago until the players' agents were called into the crisis talks and any "substantial assistance" deals with ASADA were called off.
The players have since done their homework on clause 10.5 of the WADA code, which relates to "elimination or reduction of period of ineligibility based on exceptional circumstances".
There is a provision under clause 10.5.1 of the WADA code that allows athletes to escape sanction if they can prove "no fault or negligence".
Effectively, if the Sharks players can prove they were unaware what they were taking was banned and were merely following club orders then it acts like a get-out-of-jail-free card.
"If an athlete can prove in an individual case that he or she bears no fault of negligence for the violation, the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility shall be eliminated," the clause reads.
But if ASADA and the Australian Crime Commission have a greater dossier of evidence linking the Sharks to performance-enhancing substances, the players will still be facing two-year bans.
Ex-head Cronulla conditioner Elkin has been co-operating with ASADA's investigation and has told those close to him that he was assured all the supplements the Sharks were using were above board.
Irrespective, the players were still initially fuming when they learned Elkin's detailing of the program they were administered had them facing bans.
The Daily Telegraph revealed last week that captain Paul Gallen, Ben Pomeroy and John Morris knocked on Elkin's front door on the same night they were made aware of his co-operation with ASADA.
Elkin, who has engaged the services of lawyer Colin Love in his dealings with ASADA, continues to work as the head conditioner at Parramatta Eels.
The developments come 24 hours after it was revealed Manly prop Josh Perry's northern beaches home was used to inject Actovegin, or calf's blood, by three Sea Eagles players.
