SMH predicts NRL drug positive

[injuryupdate]

From reading between the lines, this one has the potential to rock the game (and maybe even the AFL) in a big way. Not just a positive test but the uncovering of trafficking by the sounds of it. Sounds of BALCO etc.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/doping-scandal-on-league-horizon/2006/08/22/1156012543038.html

[injuryupdate]

Maybe they are off the mark:

Last Update: Wednesday, August 23, 2006. 1:46pm AEST

ASADA says no charges pending against NRL player
The head of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) says no National Rugby League player is currently facing a charge of using performance-enhancing drugs.

A Sydney newspaper report today claims an unnamed player is facing a drugs charge after an investigation by ASADA.

But ASADA chief executive Richard Ings said that was not the case, though he said the authority was working hard to look at areas outside of testing to catch drug cheats.

"I can confirm that we have no such case pending for National Rugby League players at this particular point in time," he said.

"We have been engaging in very, very comprehensive anti-doping measures, not just in rugby league but across a whole range of sports, to really make sure that if there are any athletes that may be contemplating doping or maybe involved in doping that they will get caught."

Mr Ings said with new powers given to ASADA drug cheats could be caught even if they had not returned a positive test result.

"That is a first for Australian sport and probably a first in world sport and we have taken those new tools and we are looking under every single rock," he said.

"We are looking in every single corner and our job, if we see things that we have a question about, is to answer the question, is there or is there not doping?"

Meanwhile, the Rugby League Players Association is confident appropriate programs are in place to educate NRL players about the consequences of doping.

Players boss Matt Rodwell said despite the complexity of the doping regulations in place, players should know what they could and could not take.

"It's quite difficult for the players to get their heads around the number of substances in that document, so I wouldn't expect them to know everything relating to banned substances," he said.

"But certainly when you talk about steroids and human growth hormone and EPO, they'd be more than aware that they are banned substances."

Earlier today, Rodwell said concerns had been raised with the association about some of ASADA's drug testing procedures.

"There are some concerns about a player or some players being woken at 6:00am and being asked to provide a sample," he said.

"We've got our question marks over whether that is appropriate protocol from the players' point of view, whether it touches on privacy issues. So we're investigating that as we speak."

[jellybean]

Classic example of the media thinking they have a sniff of something, taking a risk and running a story either in an effort to be the first to break the news or to avoid missing out. Sometimes the gamble pays off and other times they are left with egg on their faces. Not the first time and it won't be the last.