Penrith Panthers: We have nothing to hide

PENRITH Panthers executive general manager Phil Gould has called the club's naming in the Australian Crime Commission's report as extremely damaging.

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PENRITH Panthers executive general manager Phil Gould has called the club's naming in the Australian Crime Commission's report as bewildering, disappointing and extremely damaging.

Gould invited Australian Sport Anti-Doping Authority officials to the club on Tuesday to speak to Panthers players and staff. In a statement Gould confirmed ASADA officials were investigating a brief time where a key person of interest was involved at the club.

"From our own internal investigations of that time back in late 2010 early 2011, we know this person had no official role with Panthers either as an employee or consultant, nor did he have any commercial dealings with the club," Gould said.

"It is our firm understanding that his visits to Panthers were limited, brief and quite unremarkable.

"No person currently employed by this club is under any suspicion or investigation as a result of this report. To our knowledge, no person previously employed by this club has anything to fear from this investigation either."

Panthers officials hope the investigation ends very quickly.

"Given the very limited nature of ASADA's interest in Panthers, we expect a swift and complete exoneration," Gould said.

"Panthers can assure our fans and corporate partners that we have nothing to hide and we look forward to a speedy resolution."