The Australian Crime Commission is pushing for a minimum jail term of three years for anyone found guilty of supplying peptides or other performance-enhancing substances to athletes.
And in a further bombshell, the ACC alleges that ''some coaches and support staff within the NRL and AFL have orchestrated and/or condoned the use of prohibited substances and/or methods of administration''.
There is also the claim the use of a prohibited substance by a player was ''facilitated by one of the team's high-performance coaches''. It is the first suggestion that coaches knew of, or assisted with, the dissemination of banned drugs.
The ACC report into doping and the integrity of sport was obtained by The Australian under freedom of information laws. While large parts, including the names of clubs and players, were blanked out, it provides details not previously available in the public version. The most significant is the call for long jail terms for those supplying banned substances.
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The report concludes: ''Based on the findings of this assessment and to address emerging threats to sport from the anticipated increasing presence of organised crime in sport and the PIEDs market, it is recommended that … as with match-fixing legislation, Commonwealth, state and territory governments develop nationally consistent legislation in relation to the trafficking of peptides, hormones and other PIEDs which make it an offence, punishable by at least three years imprisonment to supply a person, except those who have a genuine medical requirement, with a [World Anti-Doping Agency] prohibited substance.''
The development comes as NRL chief executive David Smith prepares to meet the new Cronulla board this week. A source close to the investigation said the window for NRL players to receive a
reduction of up to 75 per cent of the suspension for ''substantial assistance'' had all but closed.
The source said that, with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority calling off planned interviews with the Sharks, the outcome is likely to be ''two years or zero'' depending on the quality of the evidence the agency is able to gather.
Cronulla has been the main focus of ASADA's investigations in the NRL, while Essendon have been in the spotlight in the AFL.
The ACC report also says intravenous drips could have been used in contravention of the WADA code. It also states ''some sports scientists and doctors are effectively experimenting on professional sportspersons in an effort to determine whether particular substances can improve performance without being detected''.
Sports scientist Stephen Dank was employed at both Cronulla and Essendon during the period of interest to ASADA. He has vigorously maintained that he has always complied with the WADA code.
Media reports claimed peptides CJC-1295 and GHRP-6 were allegedly administered to Sharks players. The ACC report states: ''Apart from peptides' anabolic effects, ACC and ASADA intelligence suggests that injured [words blanked out] players have been using peptides to assist in rehabilitating soft-tissue injuries.''
The report claims that in some cases, the use of performance-enhancing substances is ''systemic'' rather than isolated, and that misuse of peptides appears to have spread through the clubs through ''player social networks''.
ASADA had originally intended to interview 31 NRL players, but opted to gather evidence via alternate methods after the interview with Sharks player Wade Graham was abandoned as lawyers argued over how much co-operation was required.
There remains the possibility that players issued with an infraction notice could still receive a reduced ban if they ''rolled over'' on teammates. However, the chances of a reduced six-month suspension are becoming less likely.
Read more: ACC wants three years' jail for drugs
And in a further bombshell, the ACC alleges that ''some coaches and support staff within the NRL and AFL have orchestrated and/or condoned the use of prohibited substances and/or methods of administration''.
There is also the claim the use of a prohibited substance by a player was ''facilitated by one of the team's high-performance coaches''. It is the first suggestion that coaches knew of, or assisted with, the dissemination of banned drugs.
The ACC report into doping and the integrity of sport was obtained by The Australian under freedom of information laws. While large parts, including the names of clubs and players, were blanked out, it provides details not previously available in the public version. The most significant is the call for long jail terms for those supplying banned substances.
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The report concludes: ''Based on the findings of this assessment and to address emerging threats to sport from the anticipated increasing presence of organised crime in sport and the PIEDs market, it is recommended that … as with match-fixing legislation, Commonwealth, state and territory governments develop nationally consistent legislation in relation to the trafficking of peptides, hormones and other PIEDs which make it an offence, punishable by at least three years imprisonment to supply a person, except those who have a genuine medical requirement, with a [World Anti-Doping Agency] prohibited substance.''
The development comes as NRL chief executive David Smith prepares to meet the new Cronulla board this week. A source close to the investigation said the window for NRL players to receive a
reduction of up to 75 per cent of the suspension for ''substantial assistance'' had all but closed.
The source said that, with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority calling off planned interviews with the Sharks, the outcome is likely to be ''two years or zero'' depending on the quality of the evidence the agency is able to gather.
Cronulla has been the main focus of ASADA's investigations in the NRL, while Essendon have been in the spotlight in the AFL.
The ACC report also says intravenous drips could have been used in contravention of the WADA code. It also states ''some sports scientists and doctors are effectively experimenting on professional sportspersons in an effort to determine whether particular substances can improve performance without being detected''.
Sports scientist Stephen Dank was employed at both Cronulla and Essendon during the period of interest to ASADA. He has vigorously maintained that he has always complied with the WADA code.
Media reports claimed peptides CJC-1295 and GHRP-6 were allegedly administered to Sharks players. The ACC report states: ''Apart from peptides' anabolic effects, ACC and ASADA intelligence suggests that injured [words blanked out] players have been using peptides to assist in rehabilitating soft-tissue injuries.''
The report claims that in some cases, the use of performance-enhancing substances is ''systemic'' rather than isolated, and that misuse of peptides appears to have spread through the clubs through ''player social networks''.
ASADA had originally intended to interview 31 NRL players, but opted to gather evidence via alternate methods after the interview with Sharks player Wade Graham was abandoned as lawyers argued over how much co-operation was required.
There remains the possibility that players issued with an infraction notice could still receive a reduced ban if they ''rolled over'' on teammates. However, the chances of a reduced six-month suspension are becoming less likely.
Read more: ACC wants three years' jail for drugs
... Period. End of discussion.