ASADA STRIKE-Six Queensland rugby league players to cop drug bans

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

SIX amateur Queensland rugby league players will today be banned for two years for testing positive to an illegal stimulant.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority will name all six players, who tested positive to methylhexaneamine, an ingredient common in pre-workout supplements.

It's understood that ASADA has already notified the footballers and will use their cases as a warning to other semi-professional athletes.

Methylhexaneamine - also called DMAA, dimethylamylamine or 1,3-dimethylpentylamine - is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The stimulant is also listed on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Poisons Standard, an indication of the possible damage it can do.

Earlier this year, a London coroner ruled that DMAA was "a factor" in the death of female marathon runner Claire Squires.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that all the players failed tests in the second half of last year, including four players from a single match in Brisbane's second division competition.

It's understood that all tests were conducted randomly post-match as part of ASADA's normal practice at different levels of the sport.

The footballers to be banned today are:

* ONE Queensland Cup player, the tier below NRL and the equivalent of NSW Cup;

* FOUR players from the QRL's Brisbane second division; and

* A PLAYER from the Townsville and District competition.

There was a spike in positive tests for DMAA several years ago, when ASADA recorded more than a dozen positive tests in a month.

On its website, ASADA warns: "Athletes have been banned for using the following methylhexaneamine-containing supplements: Jack3d, White Lightning, Hemo Rage, OxyELITE Pro and Thermo Jet.

"Methylhexaneamine is classed as a stimulant on the World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List and it is prohibited in-competition.

"Generally, stimulants act directly on the central nervous system to speed up parts of the brain and body. They can increase alertness and reduce fatigue."

DMAA was patented in 2005 by Illinois chemist Patrick Arnold, who is best known for creating the designer steroids at the heart of the BALCO scandal that landed Sydney Olympics sprint queen Marion Jones in prison.

Food Standards Australia issued a strong warning about use of the supplement last year: "DMAA acts as a stimulant and is used in pre-workout sports supplements and party pills to provide an adrenaline-like high. It has been linked with various adverse health effects including high blood pressure, headaches, vomiting, cerebral haemorrhage, stroke and death."

Rugby league is a signatory to the WADA code, meaning the six men will be banned as players, coaches or trainers for the next two years.

dailytelegraph.com.au

[Hail Sezer]

Banning players for consuming DMAA? That's harsh. I thought the purpose was to ban players who use performance enhancing drugs...DMAA is a stimulant which was in many pre workout sups, and it was only deemed illegal to purchase early last year in NZ (not sure about Aus but id assume the same time) due to its health risks.

I understand the tests were taken after it was deemed illegal, but the supplement itself could have still been in their possession through purchasing it whilst it was legal to purchase.

Idk maybe I'm missing the point and I understand they are trying to make it black and white..but DMAA wouldn't boost an individuals performance any more than a large amount of caffeine or beta alanine, which are the main ingredients in most pre sups at the moment anyway.

[Chaos]

It's not harsh for banning payers using an illegal stimulant but you haven't missed the point.
ASADA came out with allegations of wide spread drug use through the sport and identified certain peptides...this lastest banning of one queensland cup player and five bush players for a stimulant is embarrasing for them.
It must be all they got!

[Surfers66]

Anyone know anymore on this?

With Essondon currently under the pump, is there any chance the Sharks will lose premiership points or is it looking like they are in the clear?

I havent heard much on the NRL side of things for a while.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Anyone know anymore on this?


With Essondon currently under the pump, is there any chance the Sharks will lose premiership points or is it looking like they are in the clear?

I havent heard much on the NRL side of things for a while.

This was from june 16 2013. latest artice involving asada and nrl
THE Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority is in possession of hundreds of text messages between controversial sports scientist Steve Dank and individual NRL players, including NSW Origin captain Paul Gallen and Canberra Raider Sandor Earl.

ASADA has gained lawful receipt of the texts in the past week from crime enforcement agencies. The Sunday Telegraph understands a number of messages show continued contact between NSW captain Gallen and Dank after he left Cronulla in 2011.

A Fairfax newspaper report on May 19 quoted Dank saying he enjoyed a "strong friendship" with NSW Origin and Sharks skipper Paul Gallen and that the pair "remained mates despite everything that has happened".

The revelation comes as ASADA edges closer to gaining unprecedented new powers that compel all persons of interest to fully co-operate with their inquiry - or face massive fines.

PANTHERS CONDUCT PEPTIDE PROBE

Currently before the Senate, the proposed law orders interviewees to hand over any items that might assist ASADA's investigators, including bank records, phone records and computer hard drives. Persons of interest would also be made to attend an interview, although their right against self-incrimination is preserved.

However, for each day they resist co-operation a $5000 fine will be imposed.

ASADA hopes the new law will enable it to interview Dank whose links to NRL clubs and individual players has been under close watch.

Dank has denied that he ever treated players with banned substances.

In total, The Sunday Telegraph understands there were thousands of text messages lawfully intercepted from Dank's phone, some of which contain specific requests from some NRL players.

The Fairfax report about the friendship between Dank and Gallen quoted Dank assuring Cronulla they have nothing to fear about involvement at the club during the first half of 2011, the period it is alleged some players were given banned peptides via injections and later tablets and creams.

Dank's brief tenure at Penrith later that season is also under renewed scrutiny in the wake of revelations that former Panthers winger Sandor Earl is part of the ASADA probe.

Earl, now at Canberra, issued a statement on Friday denying any wrongdoing and indicating he was considering his legal options.