Thread: Essendon Drug Saga

I'm pretty sure that the problem goes way beyond just one or two clubs and their players. This stuff has been known about and discussed for years, and despite all the chestbeating, there has never really been any serious action by the AFL to stamp it out, though thankfully most clubs appear to have taken the correct course of action and are bringing it under some sort of control.

Anyone who thinks that four eyed git who runs the AFL has been doing anything other than running an elaborate cover-up of these issues for years, is out of touch. It has been stated on many occasions that he has known what has been going on "behind the scenes" over the years, going back at least as far as the Ben Cousins days. He may not be guilty of everything that he's been accused of, but where there's smoke ...................

I've read that at least some of the players may not have even been aware that they had been taking illegal drugs / substances on this occasion. It has been suggested that they were given these substances by the club's medic and told by him (and others) that there was nothing illegal or banned in what they were given.

A lot of speculation at the moment - I guess we should wait for the facts to come out (if they ever will) before deciding what the appropriate penalties should be.

Something tells me though that the track record of punishing one or two scapegoats while covering up the bigger picture has not changed much - nor is it likely to under the current AFL management.

Originally Posted by BMKal

I'm pretty sure that the problem goes way beyond just one or two clubs and their players.

i really hope you're wrong.

Originally Posted by BMKal

I've read that at least some of the players may not have even been aware that they had been taking illegal drugs / substances on this occasion. It has been suggested that they were given these substances by the club's medic and told by him (and others) that there was nothing illegal or banned in what they were given.

if thats the cause the club needs to be penalised and not the players.

or should players ignorance be an excuse?
apart from vaccines or blood tests, why would need a needle in you?

I suppose if you've got a few aches and pains at the end of a game and your "trusted" club doctor told you that he had something that would help, and that it was completely legal - you might be tempted. Not all players have been mind you - but some might take him up on it.

Again this is all speculation until it all comes out in the wash (if it ever does), but apparently it doesn't necessarily involve needles. I've read reports of pills & potions, and there was even a report on the news the other day of a substance that the club doctor apparently had sourced that was applied as a "cream".

Sorry - shouldn't say "Doctor". Apparently the term is "Sports Scientist". Don't know what qualification you need to hold that position (and it is a different position and person to club doctor).

AFL should throw the book at Essendon. There is no excuse for their actions. As for the injections not being performance enhancing, if it wasn't meant to enhance their performance then why take it.

Apart from the made-up crap you read in the papers (so-called journalist Caroline Wilson denies getting ANY information from the AFL) what exactly are the "facts" that people are basing their opinions on?
Yes I'm a bombers member but no, I won't make up my mind until actual facts are known.
That'll probably be in several years time, given all the law suits that will inevitably be launched.
As for a penalty? I doubt docking points will work, what if they'd only won a couple of games for the year? You can't base the punishment on this years' results! Punish the club executive? Not many of those left! Big fine? Pffffft, the new chairman is top 5 (I think) richest in Australia.
My guess, we will be found guilty of bringing the game in to disrepute. A token fine and loss of 1st round draft pick. (& with our "spare" talls, we'll be well in the draft anyway)
Rant over

Originally Posted by Rohan

Apart from the made-up crap you read in the papers (so-called journalist Caroline Wilson denies getting ANY information from the AFL) what exactly are the "facts" that people are basing their opinions on?

This may help, denial will not make it go away, in the AFL, or the NRL, Bob. FromTHE AGE ;

EXCLUSIVE

The report states that players were largely unwitting victims of a high-risk and poorly governed program.

Some Essendon players were given WADA-banned substances AOD9604 and Thymosin Beta 4 under the direction of sports scientist Stephen Dank, according to circumstantial evidence detailed in the confidential ASADA report into the AFL club's 2012 supplements program.
Basic records about what drugs were given to specific players were not kept. Photo: Pat Scala

Multiple sources aware of the contents of the report told Fairfax Media that it detailed the strong faith that Essendon coaching and management staff , including James Hird, placed in Dank and his assurance the program complied with the rules – a claim he maintains.

ASADA has also found that Essendon staff failed to implement basic governance, management and medical practices to ensure players were not exposed to health and doping risks. It found that the club failed to follow its own protocols around the use of drugs suggested by Dank. Basic records about what drugs were given to specific players were not kept.
This failure has made it more difficult for anti-doping investigators to build a prima facie case that could enable doping infraction notices to be issued to individual players.
A source who has read the ASADA report said the circumstantial evidence was very strong that Thymosin Beta 4 - a drug deemed by the World Anti-Doping Agency to be performance enhancing - was given to several players at the club.
Eleven players have told ASADA that they were given what they were told was Thymosin, although they could not say what sort of Thymosin it was.
ASADA has confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that AOD9604 - a failed anti-obesity drug banned by WADA under its S0 category because it is not approved for human use - was used at the club.
The report states that players were largely unwitting victims of a high-risk and poorly governed program.
The ASADA investigation into Essendon is ongoing and the prospect of infraction notices for doping violations being issued to individual players or the wider team remains open.
However, any such decision would be weighed against the evidence showing that the players acted in good faith and were given poor advice and directions by Dank - who has refused to be interviewed by ASADA - and others at the club.
Separate to ASADA's deliberations, the AFL is weighing whether to punish the club or its officials, including Hird, under the code's own rules on exposing players to risky practices. Punishment could include the loss of premiership points or the suspension of staff.
The report will relieve Hird to the extent that the evidence gathered portrays him as a person who never sought to break anti-doping rules or knowingly expose his players to harm.
However, it is understood that Hird is one of several officials identified as having failed to ensure proper practices were implemented and followed, exposing players to an unsafe workplace.
The circumstantial evidence gathered by ASADA about the use of Thymosin Beta 4 is corroborated by an interview Dank gave to Fairfax Media in April in which he repeatedly talked about giving Thymosin Beta 4 to players.
Hours before publication of a story on April 12, Essendon told Fairfax Media that it would dispute reports about Thymosin Beta 4 being used because player consent forms only referred to "Thymosin" and it was possible a version of the drug not banned by WADA had been used.
When contacted for clarification by Fairfax Media prior to publication, Dank said he was mistaken in his original on-the-record interview and that his references to Thymosin Beta 4 in fact related to a drug called thymomodulin.
In his earlier on-the-record interview, Dank confirmed he had used Thymosin Beta 4 and did so because he said there was "good data, very good data, that supports Thymosin Beta 4 in the immune system".
When questioned about ASADA's decision in April 2013 to publicly list Thymosin Beta 4 as "prohibited", Dank responded: "Well, that must have just only come in this year and I will get someone to speak to ASADA about that. That's just mind-blowing."
ASADA has previously confirmed that Thymosin Beta 4 has been banned since 2011 under a catch-all provision of the doping code.
The circumstantial evidence detailed in the report to build a case that Thymosin Beta 4 was used includes:
■ Witness testimony and documentary evidence, included that provided by fitness adviser and convicted drug offender Shane Charter, regarding his provision of Thymosin Beta 4 to Dank and advice on how to administer it.
■ Player consent forms reflecting Charter's advice to Dank regarding dosages of Thymosin Beta 4.
■ Documents and communications, including invoices, text messages and emails, referring to the use of a Thymosin peptide at Essendon.
Player consent forms, public assertions by Dank, text messages and an admission by Essendon skipper Jobe Watson strongly suggest that AOD9604 was given to players.







Read more: Essendon players given banned drugs

I get the theme of this article BOB. "players were largely unwitting" etc etc. This consideration of 'unwitting' is not given to track and field athletes, nor swimming, cycling, or any other individual sportsmen/women. My doctor said it was ok does work for Usafa Powell, or Justin Gaitlin and it shouldn't work for AFL, NRL, or S15 players either.

my 2c
Nick

What would Lance do!