Confirmed finally in the League Express, two year drugs ban for growth hormone. First of many Leigh players I suspect, it was interestingly worded; "UKAD requested further testing of the sample, specifically for Growth Hormone Releasing Factor". Looks like the Leigh bubble is about to burst!

Massive shame. Second time in his career. What a player he was for us, I for one will never forget the memories he provided. Single handedly turned so many games on their head. Fax legend

Indeed, absolutely terrible that his career had to end this way.

Legend or not Sean is an idiot and should face a life ban both as a player and coach as he has previous. No excuse for this. Drug cheats should have no place in our sport at any level.

Totally agree but, I will remember him for the good and not the bad.

Have you read the article? He raises some interesting questions with regards to the testing and the procedures used.

Yeah - I read it. I thought that there was some weird stuff in there that needs clarifying.

A problem for any innocent player/sportsman, is that the burden is on them to prove their innocence, given a positive test. That will prove nigh on impossible for anyone. Sean has tried desperately to prove his innocence and failed.

Now I don't know whether the lad is innocent or not. If not, he deserves his ban. However, some of the Drug Agency procedures seem questionable, to say the least. I would imagine that this case, or any other like it, would get laughed out of a courtroom.

Something got flagged somewhere along the line for a negative test to be re tested for something else. Its more likely to be a case of athletes been one step ahead of the testers. Lets wait and see though when the full story comes out.

It's very difficult as some of these drugs are perfectly legal, over the counter medicines. It's a hugely technical area and the player is inevitably going to have to rely on advice. This stuff he's been accused of taking isn't necessarily injected, it can be absorbed transcutaneously.

We'll probably never know the real story. But, either way, the drug testing procedure seems to have been "unusual".

Agreed Griff.

Hopefully, whatever Penky did, is not part of a bigger story - and by that, I mean at ALL clubs.

Given that this is people's livelihoods we are talking about, I am sure none of us rejoice about the news however there have been indications that this is a more comprehensive and systematic problem with Leigh (allegedly).

I was told by some who interacted closely with the Leigh players at a (physically niggly) game during the standard completion that the Leigh players just didn't seem normal, were particularly aggressive and that person even went so far as to describe them as "evil".

Make of that what you will - more to follow?

Call me a cynic but Leigh's performance on the whole seems to have gone a little bit south as the season got past the half way mark, their fitness is in question and there certainly seems to have been a drop off in the level 'violence' in their games. I cant be the only person who has noted that.

This issue is certainly raising a few eyebrows

Penky was a great player but that has all been for nothing now. In the words of Cpt Mainwaring "Stupid Boy."And to do it twice.
To comment on what Encouraged has posted I have heard rumors too that another ex-Fax Prop now at Leigh has refused to give samples and the RFL have visited at his home and due to some aggression the police where called. Just rumors but quite a big one.