1. The time taken to get the test results is the time that it takes - it is the same for ALL sports. There isn't just one test that takes a couple of hours that gives the results for everything they are looking for. The athlete then has to be contacted and asked if he wants the 'B' sample testing which then requires more time for the testing procedure to be repeated.
2. The time taken to announce his ban is on the same timescale as for other cases where there has been an appeal/dispute of the results and a hearing has to be arranged and conducted - both sides need time to prepare there cases - so not unexpected it's taken so long (a recent ban from boxing was only announced a year after the doping offence).

Having said all that, going out with someone he knew had regular access to drugs, getting blind drunk and then taking drugs seems a bit of a feeble reason to essentially reduce the ban on extenuating grounds. Despite what has been said, some recent judgements have opened several cans of worms and I expect the 'anniversary of a distressing event'/impaired mental function (either due to an event or congenital) cards to be played quite a lot in the future.

Maybe nonsense to you, but its my opinion. Time will tell and you may turn out to be right, but lets wait and see

1. Morals and integrity ??? I’m sorry but we have signed worse than hardaker in the past and I doubt it will stop us in the future, we’ve literally just signed Liam Watts who is hardly Mary Poppins
2. See point 1
3. See point 1
4. Pressure from the sponsors that were willing to pay him a wage to work for them until his ban was up ?
5. They sacked him before he even got a ban how were the club to know how long he would get ?? It’s long been rumored on the Cas fb pages that he was contesting the full charge. The club are far from skint these days and I’d suggest investing a few more quid into the best full back (if not player on his day) in the league was an investment worth taking especially considering the amount already invested.
6. At least research you point, he was man of steel 2 years before joining us, had one bad year then made the shortlist for man of steel the year after. Zak Hardakers ability can never be in question imo.
7. It wasn’t like he meant to get caught 3 days before OT, he wasn’t just sat there bored before the final and thought to himself he would do his best Scarface impression. It was months before he failed a test the timing of when this came out was just terrible (unless your a loiner) timing.

And how would Castleford know that he was only going to get a 14 month ban then ?

That’s great but do morals, integrity, saving money and setting examples to youngsters win silverware? Also you don’t know whether point 4 is true, I’d say that sacking Hardaker isn’t going to stop someone from taking cocaine, he definitely wasn’t rubbish the seasons before. It was a massive cock up from Cas and it would be interesting to see why Steve Gill left.

If you can’t see the stupidity in sacking your best player who you’ve just payed £150,000 for when you don’t know how long they’re going to be banned and when they are now going to sign for a rival for free then you’re an idiot.

Is the answer not obvious? Anyone with common sense would know to wait for the outcome of the hearing.

There was a recent example where a tennis player (Dan? Evans) picked up a one year ban for summat similar. Didn't read the background reports; maybe he'd been caning the Pimms?

His was a 'washing accident':
[i
....the ITF accepts that Mr Evans has met his burden of proving on the balance of probabilities how the cocaine got into his system, i.e., by inadvertent contamination of his fingers and/or the medication he was handling with cocaine residue when he went into the pocket of his washbag to take out and ingest his medication in the hours before giving the sample on 24 April 2017.[/i

...although the results of his sample analysis showed he'd ingested a tiny amount consistent with his claim:

[iThe ITF's expert, Professor Martial Saugy, agreed that the analytical data are consistent with exposure to a tiny amount (1‐3 mg) of cocaine in the hours prior to provision of the sample.[/i

This.

Cas were damned whatever they did.

Pay Zak full wage for being banned for 14-24 months ? ( Why was rangi chase banned for 24 months and he's cited mental health reasons in the past ?)


There were rumours we offered him reduced terms; he declined them and also showed no remorse.

I understood the mental health card when he went to Oz in 2016; Leeds were dreadful, he was copping flack, huge bust up with missus resulting in abortion
. In 2017 he was arguably playing the best rugby of his career, absolutely buzzing week in week out. Now I know mental health doesn't just disappear but for me this length of ban sets a poor precedent.

It is what it is though. I do back the club for sacking him but I think we should have done it straight away rather then hedge our bets for a few months .

Nothing to do with Wigan. Recent rumours suggest that he will be going to Wire. The second rumour doing the rounds is that the drugs test was incorrectly administered leading to a technical defence and then a plea bargain.

Hardaker’s mental health issues go back a very long way. He was diagnosed with a MH condition years ago and has been taking medication (when he remembered) for years, as made clear in the judgement.
My bemusement is that this isn’t what the panel used to justify a lesser ban. They gave him a shorter ban because he was intoxicated when he took cocaine. They panel have even said it was lucky he took cocaine and not more alcohol.
To be honest, I would not be surprised if UKAD don’t appeal the ban. It’s opened the door for anyone who gets caught to say they were intoxicated at the time and get a lesser suspension.