Cronulla Sharks coach Shane Flanagan has been suspended by the NRL for 12 months, and the club fined $1 million as part of an investigation into governance issues surrounding the supplements program run by former strength and conditioning coach Trent Elkin in 2011.

NRL chief executive Dave Smith said the well-being of players had been put at risk, with inadequate supervision in place at the club while a number of players were being injected with substances that to this day remain unknown.

Announcing the provisional results of the league's investigation into the Sharks, Smith stressed the sanctions were not yet final, as all parties would have the ability to appeal before January 15.

Smith said the club had breached the NRL code of conduct in several respects and that Flanagan and Elkin, now with Parramatta, were responsible for a number of the failings.

"This is about accountability, it is about player welfare," Smith said.

Elkin has been accused of changing the club's supplements program without the club doctor's knowledge, carrying out injections himself and allowing others, who weren't adequately trained, to do so.

He has had his NRL registration cancelled and was advised he would be unlikely to be considered worthy of employment in the game tor two years.

Flanagan has been suspended for a year for failing to properly supervise Elkin and failing to act appropriately when he learnt of changes to the supplements regime. His punishment could be reduced to nine months if he undergoes "further education and training".

Meanwhile, the Sharks club was issued a breach notice with the proposed penalty of $1 million, $400,000 suspended if certain corporate governance issues are resolved.

"The club has breached the NRL code of conduct through a serious failure to safeguard the health and welfare of its players," Smith said.

"These failures have potentially put the well-being of players at risk and also exposed them to possible violations under our anti-doping code.

"These provisional findings suggest among other things that no adequate supervision or controls were in place at the club at the relevant time and that a number of players were injected with substances - the precise nature of which to this day remain unknown - by people without proper medical qualifications to do so."

Smith said any bid for registration by any club on behalf of Elkin would not be looked on favourably by the NRL before 2016.

The NRL's report is separate to ASADA's investigation, which was launched after the infamous "darkest day in sport" press conference in February this year.

Smith said no action would be taken against any players until the ASADA investigation was complete.

"Whilst at this stage ASADA has not given us any information warranting further infraction notices, that investigation remains ongoing," Smith said.

Smith and NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle said controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank had not been interviewed as their focus was on governance and player welfare issues.

No action is expected against the four Cronulla officials sacked earlier this year after an internal investigation - football manager Darren Mooney, doctor David Givney, trainer Mark Noakes and physiotherapist Konrad Schultz.

In a statement, the NRL listed the preliminary findings against the Sharks for breach of the NRL Code of Conduct:

• Exposed players to significant potential risks to health;
• Exposed players to possible breaches of the NRL anti-doping rules;
• Allowed persons without the necessary qualifications and training to administer supplements to players;
• Failed to obtain the fully informed consent of players to the administration of particular supplements;
• Failed to ensure proper supervision and controls were in place;
• Failed to devise and implement systems to ensure compliance with appropriate standards to safeguard the health and welfare of its players;
• Failed to take appropriate action when it became aware that unsafe practices had been employed in the administration of supplements to players.

The preliminary findings against Shane Flanagan include that he:

• Failed to ensure a safe and healthy work environment;
• Failed to properly supervise the head of strength and conditioning;
• Failed to ensure the head of strength and conditioning complied with his obligation to inform the club doctor about changes that had been made to the supplement program and to obtain his prior approval with respect to those changes;
• Failed to take appropriate action when he became aware that unsafe practices had been employed in the administration of supplements to players;
• Failed to ensure that the head of strength and conditioning complied with a protocol that had been agreed on April 7, 2011, to the effect that the prior approval of the club doctor be obtained with respect to any supplements that were intended to be administered to players.

The preliminary findings against Trent Elkin include that he:

• Exposed players to significant potential risks to health;
• Exposed players to possible breaches of the NRL anti-doping rules;
• Allowed persons without the necessary qualifications and training to administer supplements by injection;
• Personally injected players without adequate qualifications and training to do so;
• Failed to obtain the fully informed consent of players to the administration of particular supplements;
• Failed to comply with his obligation to inform the club doctor about changes that had been made to the supplement program and to obtain his prior approval with respect to those changes;
• Misrepresented material facts to players in relation to the supplement program;
• Failed to comply with a protocol that had been agreed on April 7, 2011, to the effect that the prior approval of the club doctor be obtained with respect to any supplements that were intended to be administered to players.