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Jarrod Mullen's NRL career is all but over after the former Newcastle Knights player was suspended for four years for a doping offence.
The NRL banned the ex-Knight and one-time New South Wales Origin playmaker until 2021 after he was found guilty of taking the banned steroid Drostanolone by the league's anti-doping body.
The 30-year-old Mullen has 21 days to appeal against the decision and take the NRL to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The Australia Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA), in March, recommended Mullen be banned for four years, however he chose not to accept the punishment and appealed to the NRL anti-doping tribunal.
He pleaded for leniency, arguing he was not attempting to gain a competitive advantage but was hoping to repair his body after suffering a second serious hamstring injury in a year.
Mullen, who played 211 matches for the Knights following his 2005 debut, was provisionally suspended on January 17 and was on Wednesday suspended after the anti-doping tribunal, chaired by former High Court judge Ian Callinan, found he had violated the game's anti-doping policy.
"As we have said all along, this has been a disappointing matter for all parties," Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said in a statement.
"We wish to reiterate this matter took place independently of the club.
"It is important to acknowledge Jarrod made a significant contribution to the club over a long period of time and that adds to the disappointment in how he now departs the club."
ASADA chief executive Ben McDevitt said: "ASADA will continue to work to protect those athletes who make the right decisions when it comes to injury treatment and rehabilitation.
"Ultimately, Mr Mullen has paid a heavy price for his poor decision making."
AAP
Topics: nrl, rugby-league, sport, newcastle-2300
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