Sandor Earl's hearing at the NRL's anti-doping tribunal has been postponed until at least August after the former Canberra and Penrith winger was granted an injunction against ASADA.
Earl is contesting his inclusion on ASADA's register of findings at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and has successfully ensured an expedited hearing over the matter before the AAT, which is likely to take place in August.
The injunction prevents his addition to the ASADA register until his case is heard.
Being named on the register of findings is part of the anti-doping body's statutory process which is followed by athletes being handed an infraction notice and banned by their sport.
Earl, who faces a possible four-year ban over numerous drug charges, including trafficking, was set to face the NRL's anti-doping tribunal next week, but that hearing will now be delayed until after he appears before the AAT.
However, the NRL said the delay in proceedings wouldn't continue much past August, with the game's body keen to bring the saga involving the 24-year-old to a close.
"The NRL's Anti-Doping Tribunal is ready to proceed with Mr Earl's hearing and it will be scheduled at an appropriate time," the NRL said in a statement.
"But our position remains clear - there is no place for drugs in our sport and the NRL will continue to act in the best interests of the integrity of the NRL competition."
Earl's provisional suspension from rugby league will remain in place pending his NRL hearing.
Currently living in Thailand, Earl gave thanks to his lawyer Tim Unsworth on Thursday night via his twitter account: "No matter how frustrating or unfair the only person that gives me a fighting chance my legend lawyer Tim Unsworth I appreciate everything!!"
Earl was banned by the NRL in August last year and remains the only athlete across the NRL and AFL to be stood down over the drugs in sport investigation.
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