Cronulla have sacked Todd Carney after an unsavoury photo of the NRL star appeared on social media.
The Sharks released a statement on Sunday night saying they had ended the contract of Carney who was tied to the club until the end of the 2018 season.
"The Cronulla Shark FootballClub has today after careful consideration and lengthy deliberation, including discussions with senior NRL management, made a decision to terminate Todd Carney's NRL playing contract effective immediately," read the statement issued by chief executive Steve Noyce.
"When Todd was first signed to the Sharks he was made well aware of his responsibilities both on and off the field, to himself, the club and to the game in general, however the photograph that appeared last night on social media does not meet the values and standards the club is looking to uphold and take into the future.
"As with any difficult decision, whilst you can't change the past, it is important to put measures in place that can deliver positive outcomes both in the present and into the future.
"The club and the NRL will be committed to working with Todd, his family and his management in implementing appropriate counseling and support, with the start of this process to begin tonight."
It's the latest incident in Carney's career which has been marred by alcohol-related issues.
The former NSW representative was banned from playing in the NRL in 2009 due to repeated alcohol-related incidents when he was at Canberra.
