The Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters, two NRL clubs whose players and officials have been charged with possession of cocaine, have reportedly paid a hefty financial price after a major sponsor pulled out of commercial deals.
News Corp Australia has reported that Infinity Group Australia, a financial advice provider, has informed both clubs it will no longer sponsor them after their employees were allegedly found in possession of the drug last weekend.
Infinity has a $700,000 shirt deal with the Sharks, while it has a $300,000 deal in place with the Roosters, according to the report.
Sharks chairman Damian Keogh has resigned from his position so he can address allegations that police found a white powder on his person in a Sydney pub on Friday night.
Keogh has since denied he has a drug problem and said he stepped away from the club in a bid to distance it from the scandal.
Roosters player Shaun Kenny-Dowall has been stood down indefinitely after he was also allegedly found in possession of cocaine at a Sydney nightclub in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Kenny-Dowall denies he has used the drug and has offered, through his lawyers, to take a hair follicle test that he says will prove his claim.
Both are due to appear in court later this month.
Sharks under-20 player Jesse Savage became the fifth person to allegedly have cocaine found on him over the weekend after he was arrested at a Cronulla nightclub and charged by police in the early hours of Sunday morning.
New Zealand internationals Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor were allegedly caught with cocaine at a Canberra nightclub after Friday night’s Anzac Test against Australia. Both players have been made unavailable for selection for the Rugby League World Cup later this year.
Melbourne Storm player Bromwich stood down from his position as captain of the Kiwi team and has been suspended for two games by his club.
Proctor was handed a four-match NRL ban by the Gold Coast Titans on Wednesday after he relinquished the Gold Coast Titans’ captaincy earlier in the week. He was also fined $20,000 and ordered him to do 50 hours of community service.
