Coach Flanagan is ousted at Cronulla

australia: The Cronulla Sharks have stood down coach Shane Flanagan and four members of his backroom staff and appointed a new interim chief executive as they faced up to the widening drugs crisis.

By The Newsroom

Published 9th Mar 2013, 06:58 BST

Flanagan, football general manager Darren Mooney, head trainer Mark Noakes, physiotherapist Konrad Schulz and long-serving team doctor Dave Givney were all removed from their positions at the NRL club, who are under investigation by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

Widespread reports have suggested as many as 14 Cronulla players are under suspicion of taking banned substances.

“It is with great regret that the board has taken this course of action, but it does so given the serious nature of the management failures identified,” Cronulla deputy chairman Keith Ward said. “We make these decisions in the interest of our club going forward, in the interest of the game itself and the welfare of our playing group, which is uppermost in our minds.”