With his NRL career in limbo, James Segeyaro has emerged from a near four-hour ASADA interview confident he can "vastly reduce" a possible four-year ban despite testing positive to a banned substance.
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The NRL confirmed in early October the off-contract PNG international had returned a positive A-sample for Ligandrol while playing for Brisbane.
On Thursday the 28-year-old walked casually into a Brisbane CBD high rise wearing an ACDC top and spent most of the day with sports lawyer Tim Fuller and ASADA officials, who quizzed him on everything from his eating habits to his phone records.
Fuller said his client didn't dispute the positive findings of both the A and B sample but was confident they could prove Segeyaro was not at fault and it was a case of unintentional and inadvertent doping.
He said Segeyaro was able to honestly and concisely answer every question thrown at him on Thursday and, as they now anticipate a formal notice from ASADA, are confident his rugby league career isn't done yet.
"If it was to go to a tribunal hearing, James' legal team wouldn't anticipate the full period of the (four-year) ban to stand," Fuller told AAP.
"Instead we'd be expecting a vastly reduced sentence based on the evidence we've been able to provide."
The journeyman told journalists he was "happy with how it went" and "wasn't too sure" what the next step was as he left the meeting.
Asked if he was adamant he was innocent, Segeyaro paused before replying "yeah mate, yep".
Once Segeyaro's team submit a written statement, Fuller is confident ASADA will find no breach and his provisional suspension will be lifted.
But if their findings do result in a Segeyaro breach, Fuller said the baton would then be passed to the NRL, who would hold a tribunal and conduct hearing to determine a punishment.
Segeyaro tested positive to the same substance that saw Australian swimmer Shayna Jack sent home from the recent world championships.
But the case that will give Segeyaro's team hope is that of UFC talent Walt Harris.
The American was caught with ligandrol in his system at UFC 232 last December but was able to trace the substance to a supplement he was using and prove it wasn't listed on the label.
His suspension was limited to four months and he has since threatened to sue the company who produces the supplement.
Australian Associated Press
