Smith defends NRL over Sharks report Rugby league's doping investigation has taken a dramatic twist with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) terminating attempts to interview Cronulla players. As news of ASADA's decision broke, NRL chief executive Dave Smith defended his organisation against accusations of inaction over the investigation which has been underway for over three months. Smith came under added pressure on Sunday after News Ltd published explosive details from a document reportedly written by former ASADA deputy chair Dr Tricia Kavanagh in March following her independent investigation of alleged doping breaches at the Cronulla club in 2011. It said the club employed a systematic regimen of peptides in 2011 in a program of injections, tablets and creams over an 11-week period while controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank was linked to the Sharks. Frustrated in its attempts to interview a number of Cronulla players because of legal argument about what they were obliged to reveal, ASADA appears to have lost patience and decided to pursue the case without them - at least for now. Cronulla's football general manager Steve Noyce revealed their decision on Sunday, admitting he was unsure what happens next. "ASADA's solicitors advised our legal representatives that they will not be proceeding with the interviews that's all I really know," Noyce told AAP. ASADA finally got the opportunity to speak to players from Cronulla two weeks ago when back-rower Wade Graham met with investigators, but the meeting ended abruptly when lawyers from both parties failed to agree on the line of questioning. ASADA does not have the powers to ban players but, following an investigation can advise the NRL what kind of infraction notice to issue. Despite also having a copy of Kavanagh's report in his possession, Smith said he was not in a position to act while the ASADA investigation continues. "Today's reports reinforce what we have said from the outset which is that these matters are serious and we are confident that ASADA will push on with the investigation through whatever means they determine to be the best," Smith said. They are the experts and the statutory body responsible with access to much wider information sources than us, including the Crime Commission. It is worth noting that ASADA has had the Kavanagh report longer than we have and it is significant they have not been able to issue an infraction notice on the basis of that report, so there can be no suggestion that we could have acted on it independently. We are fully committed to assisting ASADA and seeing this through to the right conclusion. Dank, who has been at the centre of the storm that has engulfed Cronulla and AFL clubs Essendon and Melbourne, was working for the NRL club at the time. The Kavanagh document quoted by News Ltd said players from the club were injected for three straight weeks. The report also said at least three players were given tablets of Humanofort, which included the WADA-banned growth hormone IGF-1. The three players all demonstrated abnormal levels of bruising after matches. It also details a heated discussion between former Sharks doctor David Givney, who was sacked along with three other members of the club's backroom staff, and former physical performance manager Trent Elkin at a meeting in April 2011. Details of Givney's misgivings in an email to Sharks coach Shane Flanagan about the supplements are also revealed. Dank, the sacked Cronulla staff and Flanagan have all strongly denied any wrong-doing and there is no suggestion players were aware of taking any banned substance.