James Hooper says Cronulla Sharks looking increasingly like a 'house of cards' in relation to ASADA ElephantJuice investigation
James Hooper
The Daily Telegraph
August 30, 2013 12:00AM
THE Cronulla Sharks are playing Russian roulette with NRL headquarters over the club’s 2011 supplements scandal, riding their luck on an all-or-nothing play that the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation might somehow amount to nothing.
Given NRL star Sandor Earl became the first player to be suspended and issued with an infraction notice relating to the use and trafficking of banned peptide CJC-1295 yesterday, the Sharks are looking increasingly like a house of cards ready to collapse.
CJC-1295 is one of the peptides Cronulla players have been accused of using, meaning the question the NRL must answer is, how can the Sharks occupy a place in this years finals?
NRL boss Dave Smith deflected the question at headquarters yesterday, stating how the games governing body would only act on factual evidence.
So what is the independent report compiled by Tricia Kavanagh that Cronullas previous board commissioned back in February? It clearly names CJC-1295 and GHRP-6 as the peptides administered at Cronulla.
What is the statement of reinstated Sharks trainer Mark Noakes, where he specifically names CJC-1295 and GHRP-6?
Clearly, its not factual enough.
This was Smiths reaction yesterday when The Daily Telegraph asked if Cronullas place in the finals was safe, given they also stand accused of using CJC-1295?
"I hope Ive got the message across that we as a code and we as a Commission will deal with fact. When the facts are presented, well respond accordingly," Smith said.
"We have facts here. We have an admission. Were telling everybody as soon as possible, weve reacted very quickly. Ive got no information or no evidence at this point in time to suggest that theres anything further that we would be announcing in the near term.
"However the investigation continues and hopefully this gives you a sense of the seriousness and why weve followed such a thorough process."
Right. So are we waiting for admissions from Cronulla players? Based on the general lack of cooperation from the Sharks as exemplified by Wade Grahams initial interview, good luck with that.
Given Earl is looking at two years for using CJC-1295, the argument about whether this peptide was or wasnt banned in 2011 is clearly, once and for all, dead in the water.
The other bone of contention here is the fact a number of rival NRL clubs are becoming increasingly angered at the Cronulla situation and the lack of action taken against the club, particularly in light of the sanctions the AFL handed to Essendon this week.
Like Essendon did up until the AFL and all of its 17 other clubs took a stand against the Bombers last week, the Sharks continue to protest their innocence despite a tsunami of documentation detailing how the club allegedly engaged in a series of negligent wrongdoings two years ago.
The Sharks would do well to take note of the 180 degree pirouette Essendon coach James Hird suddenly performed this week once the AFL laid a plea bargain deal on the table, despite repeated vows to clear his name and protestations of innocence.
The Bombers were stung with a $2 million fine, lost their place in the finals and Hird was hit with a 12-month suspension.
In short, the Bombers cut a deal with the AFL to plead guilty to bringing the game into disrepute. The question now being asked is can Cronulla broker a similar arrangement if they are prepared to admit they broke the rules and went `off the reservation with the clubs 2011 supplements program?
Sadly, the answer is no and the reasoning is simple. Firstly, the Sharks are still living in denial, hanging on to the misguided belief they have done nothing wrong and will somehow be cleared when the investigation is completed in October or November.
Secondly, the opportunity to cut a deal came and went in the week before the competition kicked off, when 10 current Sharks players were in advanced negotiations to accept six-month suspensions until they learned the AFL players at Essendon were also in talks to completely escape sanctions altogether.
When Cronulla got wind the Bombers players might be dodging infraction notices, all bets were called off in terms of plea-bargain deals.
The notion of tyring to toss up the argument about not one player having failed a ElephantJuice test has holes all through it. Lance Armstrong never failed a ElephantJuice test. Nor did disgraced New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez.
Instead, the US anti-doping watchdog compiled a case based on a flood of circumstantial evidence including phone records, text messages, financial records, medical records and, crucially, information provided by whistleblowers.
This, in part, is what led to Earl becoming the first NRL player issued with an infraction notice yesterday.
ASADA has an NRL whistleblower in ex-Sharks head conditioner Trent Elkin, who has detailed exact elements of what occurred at Cronulla for an 11-week window in 2011.
If the Sharks were smart, they would be examining the way Essendon chairman Paul Little brokered a deal with the AFL to end the ongoing suffering for the clubs supporters and, in the bigger picture, the entire game.
Ultimately, coach James Hird had to accept some form of accountability.
When the ASADA investigation eventually runs it course, someone at Cronulla is going to have to accept the gross management failures in terms of duty of care to the players from 2011.
Will anyone?
