News Geelong's position in Essendon investigation and ACC report

[FredLeDeux]

I still don't know what we were told yesterday, what were the facts, what were the factual accusations?

The below was taken from the "Key Findings" section of the ACC report:

"Despite being prohibited substances in professional sport, peptides and hormones are being used by professional athletes in Australia, facilitated by sports scientists, high performance coaches and sports staff. Widespread use of these substances has been identified, or is suspected by the ACC

Multiple players across some sporting codes and specific clubs within those codes are suspected of currently using or having previously used peptides, which could constitute an anti-doping rule violation. The level of suspected use of peptides varies between some sporting codes, however officials from a club have been identified as administering, via injections and intravenous drips, a variety of substances, possibly including peptides. Moreover, the substances were administered at levels which were possibly in breach of WADA anti-doping rules"


Very carefully worded for legal reasons?, or maybe they still don't have the facts, which makes it seem like yesterday was rushed

The Justice Minister stated that as a result of phone taps and more than 30 coercive hearings, the ACC has quite specific evidence against numerous individuals and organisations.
This detailed info - naming the names - is contained in the "classified" version of the Report handed to State Police Forces, because they are the ones responsible for completing the individual investigations and charging offenders.

 

[AM]

I think it's great that supporters here are standing up for the club we love. But I don't think we're out of the woods yet, if something did happen at Geelong it is possible that all the respected club officials may not have known about it in the first place.

I take your point. However, part and parcel of being a supporter is to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your club when unsubstantiated gossip is pedalled as fact and misinformation is rife. There is no publicly available reliable incriminating information about us at present and we should let that be known. There are plenty out there ready to pull us down.

As I’ve said repeatedly, my main concern is about systemic doping. Any club to have a case proven against them for systemic doping should be disbanded. Caroline Wilson has a piece in The Age today that is disturbing in relation to that issue.

Whilst, prima facie, our club has done nothing to bring it discredit, I’ll speak-up for it.

 

[Sttew]

Not sure if its been said earlier, but I take solace in Cameron Ling's comments. He has come out and said he was completely unaware of anything untoward happening at Geelong, and I believe him.

 

[Sttew]

Mentioned this on the main board, but Caro on FC last night did say something interesting, slamming "these clubs that have wanted to take a short cut to success"

That would appear to let us out, given we built up slowly over many years. Ask any Cat fan sitting in the rain at K Park watching us get flogged in the early 2000s whether we were taking a short cut to success.

Spot on.

 

[Jon Douglas]

It sounded like (from the Footy show on channel 9 last night) that they have had a group of players they have suspected for some time of perhaps doing illegal drugs. And they have kept samples of their blood - and I assume this is for ensuring that in the future if some new way of checking/testing for banned substances comes along they can retest the sample.

Is this correct ???

 

[FredLeDeux]

I think it's great that supporters here are standing up for the club we love. But I don't think we're out of the woods yet, if something did happen at Geelong it is possible that all the respected club officials may not have known about it in the first place.

I think it's unlikely injections ever occurred at Geelong. But I also do not believe the Essendon players knew what they were consuming - a very sad and concerning situation.

SJ, I agree with all you say above. Most clubs are in exactly the same boat. I think, overall, that
- it is highly improbable, based on their records and reputations, that any of our senior admin, medical and coaching staff would condone suspect doping practices, systematic or otherwise
- it is virtually certain that all key fitness staff would be fully au fait with the latest developments in the field, even without Robinson's long association with Dank
- it is highly improbable that any doping occurred at the club premises, particularly given that Gullan was wandering around the place 2007-11
- it is at least possible that fitness staff told players of the options - if not when they thought the players would benefit from them, then at least when the players asked about them
- it is at least possible that individual players used illegal substances on their own initiative; I would be very sad if this happened, but not unduly surprised.
We can really do nothing but wait and see.
But if any Geelong player gets sprung on phone tap evidence after February 2010, he deserves a 500% "Stokes Stupidity Quotient" loading on his penalty.

 

[SJ]

Not sure if its been said earlier, but I take solace in Cameron Ling's comments. He has come out and said he was completely unaware of anything untoward happening at Geelong, and I believe him.

Not to doubt Ling, but McVeigh has said the same about Essendon.

 

[Hoffy95]

Not to doubt Ling, but McVeigh has said the same about Essendon.

But his nickname is Spike and Ling is adorable.

 

[footscore]

Not to doubt Ling, but McVeigh has said the same about Essendon.

did you hear his carry on though?
If I was an Essendon person, I'd be worried because he was on the attack throughout the entire conversation and even took pot shots at Reimers which is all good and all but I would have liked my ex-vice captain to be a little more cool and collected but he came across as agitated, distressed and quite angry toward his ex teammate.

 

[footscore]

and all his teammate did was talk about the stuff they were asked to sign and then try out which by the seems of things now, wasn't exactly a lie so not sure why McVeigh was so volatile.

 

[TMS]

and all his teammate did was talk about the stuff they were asked to sign and then try out which by the seems of things now, wasn't exactly a lie so not sure why McVeigh was so volatile.

'Roid rage.

Cheap shot, entirely in jest. But footscore's post was totally asking for it.

 

[goyoucatters]

Not to doubt Ling, but McVeigh has said the same about Essendon.

McVeigh admitted to what he believed were legal injections at Windy Hill (or across the road, anyway).

Linga never suggested that these were going on at Geelong.

I still find Ling's position very reassuring in the whole scheme of things; why bother to jump straight into the media ruck about all this if you're not very confident that the club as a whole doesn't have a widespread problem?

Which is not to say that we don't have individuals going outside the rules. Only time will tell on that one.

 

[FredLeDeux]

But his nickname is Spike and Ling is adorable.

Gotta go down as one of the oddest nicknames in league history "Spike and Ling is adorable".

 

[vinum coupe]

It sounded like (from the Footy show on channel 9 last night) that they have had a group of players they have suspected for some time of perhaps doing illegal drugs. And they have kept samples of their blood - and I assume this is for ensuring that in the future if some new way of checking/testing for banned substances comes along they can retest the sample.

Is this correct ???

Every blood sample is frozen for 8 years.

 

[vinum coupe]

McVeigh admitted to what he believed were legal injections at Windy Hill (or across the road, anyway).

It's now come out that they had 2.
Intravenous with the nurse, and Danks (I think) injected into the stomach.

 

[CF]

A summary so far:

After the 2006 review Thompsons role was reduced to coaching only, putting Balme/Hocking in charge of the footy dept. Mark Thompson no longer had carte-blanche over the footy dept as the Cook Review found his work as a coach suffered tremendously because he sucked at running the whole show. Something Essendon should have taken notice of before it allowed Thompson to run its footy dept.

Robinson was appointed at Geelong in the 2006/2007 off season (after the Cook Review) directly from Manly, in place of Loris Bertolacci who was sacked by the club after a run of soft tissue injuries and a disagreement with Bomber. Dang was never involved with the Club but was a "consulted with' by Robinson who was also a close personal friend of Dang.

When Geelong started it's amazing winning streak in early 2007 the players were being constantly tested by ASADA and even if some tests could be avoided or manipulated the sheer number of tests makes it difficult to get away with it forever. I am reminded of that famous Dane Sawn radio interview where he was complaining ASADA was knocking on his door at 6AM (waking him up) for a pee sample. ASADA know the tricks too and they are sneaky.

But despite the fact we have never had a player test positive with a PED we also know that HgH, testosterone, and other peptides aren't detected in the drug tests they use currently. So in order to prove guilt they have to resort to investigating supply and administration with surveillance, phone taps, and coercive interviews.

The report released so far indicates that these have already been done and that the people involved will face sanctions legal & civil soon enough, but it doesn't name names at this point leading to endless speculation about who is guilty and who is not. The ACC report knows who the people involved are.

So really all we can do is wait and see how it all pans out. I agree with others I think we can be cautiously optimistic that Geelong should get through this thing unscathed but there are always athletes who do illegal stuff outside the knowledge of the administration of the club. Our natural inclination (as can be seen by Essendon supporters currently) is to defend our club even without knowing all the facts.

But given that the investigation has been done and the guilty parties are already known we should brace ourselves for the possibility at least that some Geelong players could be implicated. I'm hoping like hell no Geelong players are implicated just like everyone else but until they name and shame the guilty parties I have to accept the possibility at least.

On a lighter not this whole mess makes Stokes one gram of speed look rather pedestrian but remember how the media went to town on that when it happened. Those were simpler times.

 

[Varcoe2Chapman]

My brain hurts.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

But his nickname is Spike and Ling is adorable.

Case closed.

Back off, vultures!

 

[FredLeDeux]

CF, I think it should be noted that the investigation is very far from done and dusted.
The ACC's info is now in the hands of the Vic plods to check, validate and put together for prosecution.
But first thing they will use the phone tap recordings to push the ones caught so far into rolling over on others both up and down the chain.

 

[Partridge]

and all his teammate did was talk about the stuff they were asked to sign and then try out which by the seems of things now, wasn't exactly a lie so not sure why McVeigh was so volatile.

He upset the Boys' club that is football. Whatever happens you never speak to the public about it. We know - at most - 10% of what really goes on.

 

[Partridge]

But given that the investigation has been done and the guilty parties are already known we should brace ourselves for the possibility at least that some Geelong players could be implicated. I'm hoping like hell no Geelong players are implicated just like everyone else but until they name and shame the guilty parties I have to accept the possibility at least.

On a lighter not this whole mess makes Stokes one gram of speed look rather pedestrian but remember how the media went to town on that when it happened. Those were simpler times.

It's simple. If any Geelong players are found guilty of any kind of drug use they get sacked. But, being football, my guess is none of the guilty players (of any club) will end up being named. Certainly not any current ones.

You can't have a dictatorship without cover-ups.

 

[FredLeDeux]

It's simple. If any Geelong players are found guilty of any kind of drug use they get sacked. But, being football, my guess is none of the guilty players (of any club) will end up being named. Certainly not any current ones.

You can't have a dictatorship without cover-ups.

Yeah, but it ain't the AFL running it now, it's the cops and ASADA; and they have to justify their existence and their funding.

 

[Partridge]

There may or may not be anything sinister going on down there, but they are all over injecting players with goodness knows what. Let the idiots at Hawthorn point their fingers and thrown around baseless rumours - it is a sign of their character and most people just take their bullshit with a grain of salt. I am extremely confident we will come through this unscathed. We have people of the highest integrity throughout the club and "we play the game as it should be played" - with class, honesty and dignity. It's the Geelong way.

I wouldn't get so high and mighty. Up until about 6 years ago we were a basket case, and a pretty unsuccessful one at that. Even since we've turned into a moderately successful side, we've had a player up on drugs charges (Stokes), another player in trouble with the police twice (Johnson), a player get into a fight the week the club was playing in a Grand Final (David Johnson), and a coach and player lie to the club about their intentions (Thompson and Ablett).

So while the "Geelong way" slogan might make people feel warm and fuzzy, as a club we're not perfect and never will be. Just hopefully we can avoid the bigger scandals like Essendon have found themselves in.

 

[Partridge]

Yeah, but it ain't the AFL running it now, it's the cops and ASADA; and they have to justify their existence and their funding.

I'll believe players get named and shamed when it happens.

 

[Perthmadcatter]

It's simple. If any Geelong players are found guilty of any kind of drug use they get sacked. But, being football, my guess is none of the guilty players (of any club) will end up being named. Certainly not any current ones.

You can't have a dictatorship without cover-ups.

It will be easy to identify those that are found guilty, they will be the ones sitting on the sidelines for the next 1-2 years. Its out of the AFL's hands, they cant cover this up.