Axed National Rugby League star Todd Carney has been handed a lifeline by French club Catalans Dragons, which said it has signed the troubled player to a three-year deal.
Carney was sacked by his Australian team Cronulla Sharks and de-registered by the NRL in June after a lewd photo of him was circulated on social media.
The 28-year-old playmaker was photographed standing in the bathroom of a nightclub urinating towards -- or possibly even into -- his mouth in the latest scandal in his stormy career.
"We are delighted that a such talented player chose our club despite fierce competition with other Super League and rugby union clubs," Catalans chairman Bernard Guasch said on the club website Wednesday.
"My desire was to attract a world-class player for the 10th season of the Catalans Dragons in Super League and I think we can be really satisfied today."
The Catalans play in the English Super League and chief executive Christophe Jouffret said the club was "committed to support Todd Carney in his new life, far away from the media pressure he had in Sydney".
Carney has had a tumultuous playing career that has been marred by alcohol-related issues.
The former New South Wales representative, who was named NRL player of the year in 2010, was banned from playing in Australia in 2009 due to repeated drunken incidents when he was contracted with the Canberra Raiders.
He joined Cronulla in 2012 after being sacked by the Sydney Roosters for breaking a club-issued alcohol ban the year before.
Source: AFP
