Nathan Cleary — the star half-back of the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League (NRL) — has been hit with a **lifetime ban over a gambling scandal.
Here’s a summary of what *is* known:
* Cleary was previously disciplined for breaching coronavirus-related restrictions in 2020: he was fined and suspended for being “untruthful” when questioned about his presence in a video and at a gathering.
More recently the NRL’s integrity unit has been investigating irregular betting activity associated with his team, the Penrith Panthers, particularly around leaked team-news and a notable betting plunge.
However, none of the serious sanctions alleged in the rumour (a lifetime ban) have been confirmed by reliable sources.
In short: while the integrity of Cleary and his club has been subject to scrutiny, the headline of “lifetime ban for gambling scandal” is **not supported by current publicly verifiable information**.
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