Thursday 13 October 2016 16:01, UK
Catalans Dragons hooker Paul Aiton served a three-month ban earlier this year as one of five players to have received a sanction for breaching anti-doping rules during his time in the NRL.
Aiton was injured 11 minutes into his debut for the French side in February, but Catalans have now confirmed to Press Association Sport that the player served a suspension before returning in August.
The Australian governing body confirmed on Wednesday that Aiton and former Dragon Ben Pomeroy were among five then-Cronulla players sanctioned relating to breaches from 2011.
An NRL statement said: "Five former Cronulla Sharks players have received sanctions for breaches of the game's anti-doping rules during the 2011 season.
"The former players - Paul Aiton, Colin Best, Stuart Flanagan, Ben Pomeroy and John Williams - received reduced suspensions of 12 months on the basis that they bore no significant fault in the breaches.
"The suspension of each former player was also backdated for a period between six and nine months owing to the length of the investigation and each has now expired.
"The sanctions are the last to be imposed arising from the investigation of breaches of the anti-doping rules during the 2011 season which saw a total of 17 players sanctioned."
Sharks captain Paul Gallen and Wade Graham were among 10 players to accept reduced bans in 2014 amounting to three matches, with the club this year recovering to win their maiden Premiership.
Aiton, who began his Super League career with Wakefield, left Leeds at the end of last season to sign a three-year contract with the Dragons.
Pomeroy left the Catalans last year and has since played with semi-professional French club Lezignan.
