http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...rs-for-two-weeks/story-e6frexrr-1226627409317
NRL boss Dave Smith last night finally lost his patience with ASADA after the agency called off interviews with Sharks players at short notice.
Cronulla players were also fuming last night after ASADA called off their interviews, which were to begin today, condemning the team to several more weeks of uncertainty.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that lawyers contacted the 10 players wanted for interview around lunchtime yesterday to inform them of the delay - less than 24 hours before the first meeting was scheduled.
The delay tipped Smith over the edge, with the NRL boss planning to take it up with the anti-doping authority today.
"It's been three months," Smith said. "It's just not good enough to cancel interviews at this point.
"ASADA should get on with it and I'll be making that clear."
It's understood ASADA needs additional time to gather evidence and the interviews now won't commence for at least another fortnight.
The delay ensures that there will be several more weeks of uncertainty around the club.
A source close to the players last night revealed their frustration.
"This has now basically screwed their season," the source said.
"They've already been waiting a month since receiving the interview notices, and now ASADA suddenly wants more time.
"It might be another two or three weeks until anyone is interviewed, and then that will take a few weeks.
"Then it will take another few weeks for ASADA to decide what to do. That's a long time to leave the players hanging.
"It's just not good enough."
Sharks general manager Steve Noyce confirmed the delay, expressing his frustration on behalf of the coaching staff, who had even changed training schedules to accommodate the interviews over the coming fortnight.
"I said to the players the end of the process will come quicker once they start the formal part of the process," Noyce said.
"We made ourselves available for interviews. We discussed the preparation required and making sure that we assisted in any way we can.
"Training times were also altered.
"So it's certainly frustrating to learn that they've been called off."
According to ASADA's original timeline, the interviews were to be completed early next month.
Now they have little chance of beginning then, with legal argument about the players' obligations the initial reason for the delay.
But once the players had been assured they were not required to give incriminating evidence, the interviews were set to take place quickly, starting with Cronulla.
The NRL was only made aware of the change late yesterday, with Smith speaking of his expectation for interviews to begin this week at the announcement of major changes to the NRL.
"We've always made it clear that we wanted the investigation to be completed as soon as possible," an NRL spokesman said.
