Mannah family says Jon never knowingly took banned substances A connection between sports drugs and cancer? Questions are being raised about a possible link between the use of performance enhancing substances and cancer. Sharks prop Jon Mannah died from Hodgkin's lymphoma. It's not known whether he took peptides. Doctor Peter Larkins speaks to Paul Murray on 2UE. Parramatta captain Tim Mannah has declared his late brother Jon would never knowingly taken a banned substance while playing for Cronulla in 2011 and offered his full support to former Sharks trainer Trent Ellkin. Mannah issued a statement on behalf of his family in response to reports that an internal Cronulla report raised speculation about the possibility of a link with the peptides program at the Sharks in 2011 and Jon's recurrence of Hodgkinson's Lymphoma last year. Tim Mannah has expressed his disappointment with publication of the leaked reports. Tim Mannah (L) with his brother Jon in 2008. Jon Mannah died from Hodgkin's lymphoma in January, aged 23. He had recovered from a first bout of the lymphoma in 2009 to play the first five NRL matches of 2011. A leaked independent report from Cronulla chronologically links Jon Mannah's stint at the Sharks with the club's supplement program. There has been no direct evidence that Mannah was given any supplements at Cronulla. "On behalf of my family I would like to say how disappointed we all are by the reports that have been published today," said Tim Mannah in a statement released by the Parramatta Eels on Friday. Angry: Tigers captain Robbie Farah. My brother Johnny was a wonderful man and never ever would have knowingly consented to taking a banned substance, in fact he was very careful about everything he did that may affect his health. Johnny's integrity in the way he lived his life speaks for itself. We have no need to defend that. Tim Mannah also defended Parramatta trainer Trent Elkin, who was at the Sharks in 2011. Tim Mannah. My family and I would also like to use this opportunity to offer our full support to Trent Elkin. Trent has had a long and trusted relationship with me, my brother and our family and what has transpired over the last day has not changed that. We know Trent does not condone the use of illegal substances and would have never knowingly done anything that would cause one of his players or Jon for that matter harm. Despite how saddened we are by these recent reports, our faith will see us through. Meanwhile, Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah says he feels sorry for Jon Mannah's family. News Ltd on Friday published an extract from an independent report commissioned by Cronulla into alleged use of peptides at the club in 2011. "A brief review of available published medical literature suggests an identified causal link between the use of substances such as CJC-1295 and GHRP-6 and the acceleration of the condition of disease Hodgkin's lymphoma," News Ltd quoted the extract as saying. Farah took to Twitter to slam publication of the extract. Absolutely disgusted.. dailytelegraph should hang their heads in shame. What a low and disrespectful piece of "journalism" in 2days paper!" Farah wrote. He was more restrained but still critical when he fronted a Wests Tigers media conference at Campbelltown Sports Stadium shortly afterwards. "I think it's terrible for the family and for them having to go through that again," Farah told reporters. I'm sure they're still having to deal with everything that's happened and losing Jon earlier in the year. So I just feel for the family. smh.com.au and AAP