[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8273913.stm[/url

Is that not the same stuff Senior & Cunningham got a slapped wrist for?

That perhaps where the stupidity of that particular defence. Yes, every player takes (legal) supplements to improve performance, but the RFL know that it's solely a performance enhancing exercise.

IIRC, Keith's defence was that the substance was in a cough medicine. Whether or not that's true is irrelevant, it's a better defence than "it was part of a weight loss programme".

Senior (along with another player) perhaps, Cunningham was a different substance.

yes, although big difference been (for senior at least) claimed it was in cold medicine he had taken. rather then karl who seems to have admitted it was for weight loss, thus getting an advantage. no doubt the drug will have changed class a few times over the years as well, since it has been 4/5 years since the senior thing, changing the seriousness of the punishment

As weight gain can also be performance enhancing I'm not sure the RFL argument has much logic. Seems a little harsh to me considering what's gone before.

Ahh. I was having some difficulty getting my head round KC having taken weight loss supplements.

Cunningham's was [url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2003/jul/22/rugbyleague.duncanmackayHCG[/url.

Just think what he'd look like without them, allegedly of course.

IIRC didn't both Senior and Ryan Bailey declare the over the counter medicines they had taken to the testers prior to being tested?

Failure to declare you've taken something then getting caught is punished more severely than being up front about what you have taken and then testing positive.

Reading through the link, it seems that HCG is often used to treat those with underdeveloped testicles. Read into it what you will

i thought it wouldnt be long before a saints player was mentioned...once again...OBSESSED..

Reply to the person who first mentioned Cunningham then.

No obsession here.

Muscle gain can be performing enhancing, but so can shedding excess weight. IIRC isn't the issue with things like ephedrine and diuretics that they can be used to mask the presence of other performance enhancing substances in the body?

Just remind us whose board YOU are on.

Certainly at the time of the Senior incident, Ephedrine was treated differently according to the quantity found, and guidelines were to only issue a warning for low quantities.

AFAIK, it isn't illegal at all in the NRL.

St Helens supporter in "knee jerk" shocker.

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/3774411.stm[/url

Is incurring the ire of the drugs testing people a family trait ?

Be careful, He wont shake hands!

I take Ephedrine fantastic drug it is when taken correctly...