- Josh Addo-Carr has been issued with an infringement notice by the NRL
- Canterbury Bulldogs winger fails roadside drug test
- He has protested his innocence, but his future is at stake.
The NRL has handed Josh Addo-Carr an infringement notice over his positive drugs test.
Addo-Carr, 29, tested positive for cocaine during a roadside drug test the week before Canterbury’s finals match against Manly.
The winger has long maintained his innocence but pulled out of the crucial match, accepting a police fine and driving ban and failing a second drugs test, raising questions about “contradictions” in the saga.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the NRL confirmed that the infringement notice had been served on Addo-Carr.
‘The National Rugby League (NRL) has today issued Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs player Josh Addo-Carr with an infringement notice alleging a breach of the NRL Code of Conduct,’ the NRL said.
‘Earlier this month, Addo-Carr was issued a penalty notice by NSW Police for the offence of ‘Presence of illicit prescribed drug in oral fluid, blood or urine of a person’ whilst driving a motor vehicle.
‘The infringement notice alleges that Addo-Carr has engaged in conduct that is contrary to law and has brought the game and his club into disrepute.’
Addo-Carr has five days to respond to the infringement notice.
Josh Addo-Carr has been issued with an infringement notice by the NRL
The Canterbury winger has protested his innocence after failing a doping test
The winger faced a two-hour grilling by football chiefs last week where he was asked to explain details surrounding the incident.
Canterbury are awaiting the outcome of the NRL’s investigation before deciding what action to take against Addo-Carr. Chief executive Phil Gould said the player’s version of events “changed slightly from day to day depending on what was revealed”.
“At the end of the day what we have is a positive drug test, there were drugs in his system,” Gould said at the Six tackles with Gus podcast.
“I think he continues to maintain his innocence in that case, but at some point he’s going to have to explain to himself and to the people he cares about exactly how it happened and why it happened.”
“So why have we been through what we’ve been through over the last week or so?”