The National Rugby League (NRL) has been hit by a cocaine scandal during its representative round, with a club chairman and three players implicated in separate incidents. Cronulla Sharks chairman Damian Keogh stood down after his arrest on Friday night for alleged drug possession, while New Zealand captain Jesse Bromwich and teammate Kevin Proctor were reported for allegedly consuming cocaine in Canberra after their Test loss to Australia.
Keogh was arrested in Bourke Street, Woolloomooloo, where police allegedly found a small resealable bag containing a white powder believed to be cocaine. He is due to face Downing Centre Local Court on June 30. Cronulla chief executive Lyall Gorman described Keogh as "very distressed and disappointed about potential outcomes on the game and the club."
The incidents involving Bromwich and Proctor have been reported to the NRL Integrity Unit by the New Zealand Rugby League. Police allege CCTV footage shows a man preparing a white powder on his phone before handing it to two men who consumed it outside a Canberra night spot. The players' names were reportedly mentioned in a court case in Canberra on Saturday morning.
Separately, Sydney Roosters centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall was charged over allegations of drug possession in Sydney on Thursday night, also believed to involve cocaine. The NRL has yet to comment on the New Zealand matter, but chief executive Todd Greenberg said they are awaiting further details from the Sharks regarding Keogh.
Keogh, a former Australian basketball star who competed in three Olympic Games, took over as Sharks chairman during the supplements scandal in 2013. He helped rebuild the club from wooden spooners to premiership winners last season. Gorman defended the club against suggestions of a drug problem, noting the club's achievements over the past two-and-a-half years.
