Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan has accepted his one-year ban from the NRL after dropping plans to appeal against his punishment.

Flanagan was sanctioned following a probe by the NRL into the club’s 2011 supplements program.

Former strength and conditioning coach Trent Elkin had his registration suspended for two years.

However, Flanagan maintains he has done nothing wrong and intends to return to the Sharks’ coaching box.

“I am bitterly disappointed that submissions made in response to the interim suspension were not accepted,” Flanagan told the Daily Telegraph.

“The only thing I want everyone to understand out of all this is that I am no drug cheat.”

Peter Sharp will continue to coach the Sharks for the remainder of the 2013 season.

Flanagan said in a statement he was pleased that there was no finding that he had involvement in the supplement program and NRL chief executive David Smith issued the ban because of poor governance at the club at the time.

“To me, that’s the important exoneration. The adverse findings concerning me were only about the club’s governance in 2011 when, as Mr Smith also accepted, the Sharks were under-resourced and without a Chief Executive,” the statement read.

“I will happily engage with the NRL on its continuing education requirements. Getting back to coaching at the Sharks as soon as possible is my sole priority.

“I would like to thank the Cronulla Sharks for their unwavering support of me throughout this most difficult time and urge all Sharks fans to continue to support this great club.”