Rugby League Players’ Association demand an explanation over Kalyn Ponga drug test
The players’ union have issued the NRL‘s integrity unit with a please explain over the handling of the Kalyn Ponga and Kurt Mann investigation, furious the pair have been drug tested.
Rugby League Players’ Association bosses contacted the NRL on Wednesday unhappy with the situation, also questioning why the pair were even being investigated at all.
Ponga and Mann remain in the spotlight after they were filmed being escorted out of a toilet cubicle at a Newcastle pub on Saturday night, while both are sidelined through injury.
The NRL have been issued with a please explain after drug testing Kalyn Ponga and Kurt Mann
The pair were since drug tested on Tuesday, with Ponga’s father claiming his son had merely been celebrating the purchase of a house when he fell ill and required Mann’s assistance.
RLPA CEO Clint Newton conceded the pair had brought the issue upon themselves, but questioned why the NRL was investigating.
‘We’ve said (to the NRL) we think this is completely flawed,’ Newton told AAP.
‘What rule have they broken to warrant a code-of-conduct breach or some interview or that this warrants a target (drug) test?
‘We are conflating the two issues here.
‘One is the team cultural code that teams and club leaders plug into with regards to drinking whilst injured.
The Newcastle Knights duo were tested in the wake of the toilet cubicle video emerging
‘That’s for the club to work through with players.
‘The other is the process and the confidentiality of this test. They’re completely separate debates that are conflating into the same debate.’
Under NRL rules test results are not published, but players who receive a second strike are banned for 12 matches.
But Newton said the fact the Newcastle pair’s tests had gone public put pressure on the duo to announce their results.
The game’s in-season policy allows for players to be subjected to drug tests while at their clubs in a bid to deter the illicit use of substances and help players rehabilitate if they are using.
The policy of random testing also attempts to ensure players are role models for the game and that the sport’s image is protected.
RLPA chief Clint Newton (L) has demanded an explanation from the NRL (pictured right, Andrew Abdo) and said that the players were subjected to a ‘completely flawed’ process
But Newton said he did not believe targeted testing of Ponga and Mann fitted that bill.
‘It has to be to protect the health and safety of the workplace (and that is) if a player is looking like they are turning up under the influence and they are presenting a risk to the workplace and the players. This is not it.
‘The players opt into a policy that is meant to be health-and-safety related. We don’t opt into a policy for a catch, kill and chain.’
Newton’s comments come after NRL CEO Andrew Abdo insisted on Wednesday the policy had been followed.
He also insisted it was right for the integrity unit to look into the case given the public interest.
‘No-one is saying that they have breached the rules, but clearly there’s been a lot of talk and a lot of media publicity around the incident,’ Abdo said.
‘Our job is to get all the facts and then make the determination. And not to prejudge anything.’
