Kelly, Douglas could be stopped from attending end of season parties becauses of bans

[Titan4Life]

NRL players serving ASADA bans could be stopped from attending end of season parties
Travis Meyn The Courier-Mail August 27, 2014 12:00AM

SUSPENDED Titans players Albert Kelly and Luke Douglas could be banned from attending the Gold Coast’s end of season presentation dinner.

The revelation comes as the players suspended over the Cronulla supplements scandal may yet be prevented from attending league’s gala evening — the Dally M Awards in Sydney — as the NRL mulls over further penalties.

Twelve NRL contracted players — including Douglas and Kelly — last week accepted backdated one-year suspensions following an Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation into Cronulla’s 2011 supplements program.

The NRL has informed clubs the players cannot play or train with the club until November 23 but specific guidelines on the suspensions are yet to be issued.

Players are allowed to attend social functions but the NRL is yet to decide if they can attend awards nights and the Dally M count.

An NRL statement issued to the Bulletin said: “... suspended players would be prohibited from training or playing with their clubs during the suspension period”.

“The players will be allowed to attend social functions together.

“A decision on whether the players can attend official awards nights and other official events will be made soon.”

Douglas, 28, and Kelly, 23, have left the Gold Coast to spend time with family and friends given their on-field commitments for 2014 are over.

Douglas is scheduled to attend a club-related charity function on Friday but is now unsure of whether he will be allowed.

Both players are believed to be devastated by the bans and coach Neil Henry said the club had been in constant contact with the duo.

“They’re both shattered at not being able to be part of the club,” he said.

“We’ll keep monitoring them and offering support personally and from the club’s perspective.”

The Titans are expected to begin pre-season training on November 3 but Douglas and Kelly will not be permitted to train with the club until their bans expire.

The Titans’ awards night is scheduled for November 7 at Jupiter’s Casino.

A decision on whether suspended players will be eligible to win awards is yet to be made by the NRL.

- - - Updated - - -

They should be allowed in my opinion. Sure they may have cheated on the field (3 years ago I must add) but why stop them from attending off field events, especially an end of season celebration.

[TitansFan92]

It comes down to if they knowingly took the peptide or if they thought it was allowed in the NRL. If ASADA can prove without a doubt they knew then I think WADA need to step in and put stronger penalties on the players. Including longer bans and de registered from the NRL for the time of the ban. This would go on a player to player basis. It kind of send red flags up when you read in the papers that Douglas was injured and would be out for months only to play the next game while he was at Cronulla. Just my opinion and I know many of you may not agree but in my eyes taking a banned substance as a player is the dirtiest and lowest act a player can do.

[mup23]

They got a laughable penalty and should just cop not being able to go to a party

[Titanic]

move the party to their place ... gee, how hard is it to get around such issues for heavens sake? suck it up and thank their lucky stars imho.

[Titan4Life]

Yeah they cheated and probably should have been banned for longer but how is attending an awards night hurting anyone.

[K4SE]

They'll threaten to cut off their internet next, like I do when my kids have been naughty! The whole thing has been a joke. The investigation, the punishment and now grounding them!

[Titan4Life]

So they will let Douglas attend social functions and CLUB-RELATED charity events but can't go to a CLUB awards evening. That is just stupid..

[ozynorts]

They have all been banned from the Dally M's now too.

[Titanic]

they were never going to win a Dally M