www.code13rugbyleague.com/2011/1 ... iolations/

www.code13rugbyleague.com/2011/1 ... iolations/

The inconsistency of the RFL is astounding at times !

What inconsistency?

Reading the report on Hull FC Conditioner Ben Cooper gives more insight into the goings on. (I also have a degree of sympathy for Gleeson and Long here), although Long hasn't been charged with anything.

Click Decision


To summarise:

*3rd June - UKDA charge Gleeson.
*4th June - Cooper signs statement that he supplied Gleeson with OxyElite Pro in error.
*9th June - Cooper hands in signs 2nd testament to show he was solely to blame for the positive test.
*9th June - Cooper confirms when interviewed the above testimony, where Gleeson handed him a sealed packet of OxyElite Pro and asked him to check if okay to use (to combat fatigue). The reason for this was the usual supplements (provided by Hull's Official Supplement Supplier) was out of stock and the club didn't have a similar product at that time.

*When questioned further, Cooper confirms the statements above as false and that it was not Gleeson who came to him, but another Hull FC team mate (named as Sean Long in Gleeson's Report)
*Cooper admitted he checked the ingredients for Long on the WADA website but failed to check on the Global DRO database when previously he claimed he did.

The only thing Gleeson could really be found guilty of is the 'white lie' in an attempt to protect his mate.

All this begs the question, if a player has the 'sniffles' / needs legal supplements and buys a product off the shelf, should he trust his club staff before use? Or should he double check the ingredients himself on the numerous websites to cover his ass?

Here we are 8-9 years after the 'Cunningham Saga' and we still have club conditioners making errors.

It's nothing to do with the RFL, the Drugs Agency set the bans. If you are referring to K. Cunningham, that was eight years ago and the drug concerned was only banned in 2010.

So what was Cunningham fined £2500 and given a suspended one-year ban for?

Bugger! Straight cough, I'm wrong, however as I understand it the one that Gleeson took was only banned in 2010.

Having had a look I think the one Gleeson was done for is only prohibited "in-competition", even more of a double whammy. By "in-competition" I'm assuming it could be used pre-season and only flags up if shown up in an after match test?

Now that does make things complicated, but when are some sportsmen going to realise that they have to thoroughly check everything they take?

Quote: Wigan28/Leeds18 Andy "Not for the first time, Gleeson has got into trouble when a certain other player is in the vicinity.'" Agreed. They'd have been better off speaking to Bernard (who know's all about these things: www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2004/jan/31/rugbyleague ) than Cooper it would seem.

Quote: Wigan28/Leeds18 Andy "Not for the first time, Gleeson has got into trouble when a certain other player is in the vicinity.'" Agreed. They'd have been better off speaking to Bernard (who know's all about these things: www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2004/jan/31/rugbyleague ) than Cooper it would seem.

UKAD have revealed Gleeson was supplied the drugs by Sean Long who was told by Ben Cooper that the drugs were permitted

The sad thing is the cover up, which is exactly what happened with Cunningham.

Then of course we had the Bailey and Senior "cold remedies"
Senior admitted in his book that it there were other Leeds players "taking the cough drops."

Paul Cullen made a statement to say that drug taking was rife in the game, then sort of denied it.

Get it all out in the open, and get them banned.

There is some real issue here. We have seen some players who have tested positive get away with it regardless of getting the ok from a conditioner or not. Most if not all conditioners are not Doctors now i would say that all clubs have a Doctor attached to it in some sort of capacity. Conditioners are not doctors. Gleeson should have showed some intelligence and sourced info from his GP or the clubs doctor himself.

But this is what i am not comfortable with is that Cunningham, Bailey and Senior have got away with taking an illegal substance. Rules with drugs insports should be black and white as various drugs can hide things in the body. Gleeson in his time at Wigan has showed himself to be a great player but a total idiot. A great waste of talent.

But if Gleeson has got banned prospective GB players not. I bet if he was in an England shirt he would not get a ban as 3 other players who played for GB have not.