Senior counsel Andrew Coleman to advise Cronulla players Cronulla players have the services of a senior counsel to advice them Source: News Limited THE rugby league players union has retained a senior counsel to offer independent legal advice to the players involved in the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation at Cronulla. Rugby League Players Association chief executive David Garnsey also called for anti-doping authorities to take into account the reality that footballers are employees when determining culpability for doping offences. Up to 14 Sharks players are in the sights of ASADA as the organisation conducts its investigation into the club's use of supplements during the 2011 season. The players have received legal advice from the club that they can fight to clear their name or accept a six-month ban. Should they choose the latter, it is understood they will continue to be paid and potentially receive one-year contract extensions. Garnsey, while making it clear he was not referring specially to the Sharks investigation, said it was important to remember the players were employees and entitled to place their trust in people in authority at their clubs. Garnsey also confirmed the RLPA had retained Andrew Coleman SC to provide advice to the Sharks players. "Rugby league players ultimately place their trust in those who are in positions of knowledge and authority at their clubs and, as employees, follow the directions of their employers," Garnsey said. There was a recognition in the Australian Crime Commission's report, that illegal substances had been administered to players by staff at clubs without those players understanding the nature of the substances. Where that has occurred, it is clear that those athletes have been exploited and are not drug-cheats, yet they are subject to the same sanctions as those who deliberately set out to take prohibited substances to enhance their performance. "In short, for reasonably obeying their employers, athletes" careers can be destroyed and reputations irreparably damaged. This cannot have been the object of the WADA Code. The RLPA believes absolutely that the integrity of rugby league must never be compromised. However, to ensure that honest athletes are not unfairly punished and that public confidence in the game is not eroded, the RLPA calls on ASADA and the NRL to apportion the blame for any doping offences which may be found to have taken place where it should properly lie.