RFL go on defensive over banned Gleeson’s allegations

The governing body responded to a claim by the former Great Britain international in the Mail on Sunday that they were involved in the doping scandal that rocked the game and wrecked his career.

The former St Helens, Warrington, Wigan and Hull centre, who is currently serving an 18-month ban, implicated senior figures within the RFL as part of the cover-up, telling the newspaper that he was “hung out to dry”.

Two former Hull employees, chief executive James Rule and fitness conditioner Ben Cooper, have also been suspended for their part in a cover-up but Gleeson believes the blame goes as far as the game’s Red Hall headquarters.

“A web of lies has helped to destroy my career and make my life a misery,” he said.

“I feel bitter about what James Rule did, at what the club did and at how the RFL were part of the whole thing.”

Gleeson pointed his finger at long-serving RFL official Emma Rosewarne and chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer but they were both backed in a statement issued by the governing body.

“The RFL has today reaffirmed confidence in its actions during the recent doping investigation involving former Hull FC chief executive James Rule, former player Martin Gleeson and former conditioning coach Ben Cooper,” said the statement.

Rimmer said: “We are clear that the governing body acted entirely appropriately throughout what was a long and complicated investigation involving UK Anti-Doping and a National Anti-Doping Panel.

“As part of their investigation, UK Anti-Doping received external legal advice which found that there was no evidence to suggest that anyone at the RFL was complicit in the giving of false evidence to the NADP or knew at all that the evidence was false.

“It found that there was no case for anyone at the RFL to answer.”

Gleeson, who joined Hull last April after being released by Wigan, failed a drugs test in May and subsequently admitted taking OxyElite Pro, a supplement that contains the stimulant methylhexaneamine, which athletes are not allowed to take in competition.

Gleeson said in his evidence to the UK Anti-Doping hearing that he had been given the supplement by Hull team-mate Sean Long, his best friend, after complaining of tiredness, while Long had erroneously been told by Cooper that the product was “safe” to take.

Gleeson was handed a three-year ban, later halved for providing “substantial assistance” to UK Anti-Doping in the case against Rule and Cooper.

Wigan beat Hull KR 22-6 at Craven Park in their first pre-season friendly. The home side took the lead with Jake Webster’s try from Blake Green’s grubber kick, converted by Craig Hall, but the Warriors hit back with tries from Matty Russell, Pat Richards (2) and Josh Charnley.

Warrington’s David Solomona has sustained a broken leg during the Super League club’s three-week training camp in Australia.