- Josh Addo-Carr was absent from Canterbury’s final match on Sunday
- Bulldogs star retired after failed drug test
- Addo-Carr has maintained his innocence throughout the saga.
Josh Addo-Carr has decided not to attend Canterbury’s finals match against Manly as he continues his fight to clear his name following a failed drugs test.
Football star Addo-Carr has withdrawn from the Bulldogs’ finals with Manly after allegedly returning a positive drug test during a roadside check at the weekend.
Officers stopped the Bulldogs star at around 10.45pm last Friday while he was driving in Wentworth Point, a suburb in Sydney’s inner west.
Addo-Carr is alleged to have tested positive for cocaine, but the 29-year-old has not been charged.
The alleged positive result came as a result of an initial ‘scratch’ test.
Officers then took another sample to send to the lab for further examination, but were unable to follow standard procedure and perform a second “scrape” test because they were called to an alleged home invasion.
The 29-year-old has told club officials he is convinced he did not use cocaine before last week’s test and cannot explain the first supposedly positive result.
He The Sydney Morning Herald reports that he requested that the results of the second test be expedited in an attempt to quickly prove his innocence.
Josh Addo-Carr was absent from Canterbury’s final match against Manly
The Bulldogs were without their star winger for the big clash at Accor Stadium
But this was not the case, as the second test supposedly gave a positive result.
Rather than take the matter to court, he accepted a three-month ban and a $682 fine. The NRL and his club are expected to punish him.
“First of all, I want to apologise to my team and our fans for all the headlines and discussions surrounding me and the club,” he told the SMH.
‘I know I have done nothing wrong and my name will be cleared in time.
“It’s frustrating that the club has to deal with this situation and I feel very bad about it. I want it to be known that I did not take drugs and I hope my name is cleared.”
‘I want to thank everyone at the club, especially Gus (general manager Phil Gould), (chairman) Adam (Driussi) and (coach) Cameron (Ciraldo).
“Until my name is cleared, I will do what is best for the team. My focus is completely on today (the elimination final against Manly) and my heart is with the lads.
“I hope to get the chance to show what the club means to me next week.”
We will continue to report more.