SEAN PENKYWICZ has been sacked by Huddersfield Giants.
The Super League club have terminated his contract after the 23-year-old was handed a two-year ban by the Rugby Football League for being found guilty of taking the banned substance Stanozolol.
News of his departure was announced in a statement released by Giants general manager Richard Thewlis which said: "At a Rugby Football League hearing at Red Hall, Sean Penkywicz was found guilty of providing a sample containing a banned substance.
"He was banned from the game for two years.
"Having considered this finding, the decision was made that his conduct was sufficiently serious as to warrant his immediate dismissal.
"Accordingly, the club have terminated his playing contract with immediate effect."
Penkywicz's current contract had been due to expire at the end of the season, and he will not be able to return to competitive action until 2007 at the earliest.
Today's news had been widely expected, with former Giants hooker Ryan Hudson having suffered a similar fate at Bradford earlier this year after being found guilty of taking the same performance-enhancing steroid.
Penkywicz played in the Giants' opening four Super League X fixtures, alternating between half-back and hooker, and scored in the opening-day win at Leigh.
