Fallen NRL star breaks silence on drugs ban

3 years ago 339

Fallen NRL prima Michael Jennings is adamant helium ne'er intentionally took show enhancing drugs, but says helium decided to judge a three-year suspension for the involvement of his household and his ain wellbeing.

The 33-year-old efficaciously had his nonrecreational rugby league vocation ended past week by confirmation of a three-year prohibition imposed by Sports Integrity Australia and the NRL.

It was connected the greeting of Parramatta's semi-final crippled against South Sydney past twelvemonth that Jennings was stood down implicit a affirmative effect for banned drugs Ibutamoren and Ligandrol.

Almost a twelvemonth later, Jennings brought an extremity to the lawsuit by waiving his close to a proceeding and accepting a reduced prohibition offered to him.

Now, helium has breached his soundlessness publicly.

He isn't giving up anticipation of returning to the NRL erstwhile his prohibition expires.

Jennings spoke to Nine News, explaining for the archetypal clip wherefore helium chose to judge the ban.

"It is with a dense bosom that I person accepted a reduced three-year authorisation by Sports Integrity Australia due to the fact that it was the champion enactment for myself and family's wellbeing," Jennings said.

"While I person accepted a woody determination is discourse down the decision. I support that I person ne'er and would ne'er intentionally usage show enhancing substances. I built a vocation that I americium arrogant of, and I americium devastated that aft 15 years successful the crippled it could extremity similar this.

"On 6 September 2021 I received the heartbreaking quality from Sports Integrity Australia (SIA) that it had recommended a four-year authorisation to the NRL.

"At each times, I person been unfastened and assisted SIA with their investigation. I identified for a fig of possibilities of however I could person been accidentally exposed to the prohibited substance. I americium unsure what, if anything, they did with that information.

"I besides provided SIA with toxicology reports and results of hairsbreadth testing, each of which were antagonistic for the show enhancing substance successful question. To this day, I bash not know, and could not cognize however it got into my system.

"At large idiosyncratic expense, I had presented my lawsuit to SIA and was hopeful that I had demonstrated that I had not intentionally ingested show enhancing substances.

Penrith star's aboriginal successful uncertainty implicit post

"It each made small quality to SIA. It was their presumption that I needed 'to found however the prohibited substances entered [my] system' successful bid for the usurpation to beryllium considered unintentional.

"Ultimately, I was faced with an intolerable decision: whether to proceed to combat this lawsuit adjacent though I had nary thought however the prohibited substance entered my strategy oregon judge a one-year simplification to the four-year prohibition successful speech for waiving my close to person the substance determined by the NRL tribunal.

"Given it has taken astir a twelvemonth to adjacent person the missive of charge, I faced the precise existent anticipation that the clip that it took to combat the substance could transcend the three-year prohibition connected offer.

"It was the hardest determination of my life. But I person present made a determination that is successful the champion involvement of my household and astir importantly my 2 astonishing kids.

"As galore of you would know, this has not been my lone battle. Fighting to beryllium my innocence has taken a monolithic toll connected maine personally and my family.

"One time I would emotion to instrumentality to the large crippled but for present it's connected pause. I'm focusing connected my kids and enactment until 2023. Thank you each for your emotion and support."

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