Mega Thread Hot Topic - Drugs and AFL

[El Zorro]

Honestly whether people think the players deserve it or otherwise is irrelevant. What would your alternative punishment be for the players? If the club were found guilty and the players exonerated then every sportsperson in the world who was accused would be pointing to their medical team and nobody would ever be convicted. The onus is on the sportsperson to be assured that what goes into their body is legal for exactly that reason.

Correct.

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

So the following occurs now -

Collingwood, Richmond, Carlton and whoever else plays Essendon twice get the benefit of doing so, compromising the integrity of the draw with an almost guaranteed 8 points.

St. Kilda, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs not only have to go into season 2016 without best 22 players, but paid Essendon what now would be considered premium prices for players that are going to miss a season of football.

Opposition clubs get the benefit of playing those three clubs without those players for a season.

If Essendon gets stripped of draft picks, all those clubs that benefited from players being banned for the season also benefit from being shifted up the order. The three affected clubs get no ancillary benefit at all even though they were most affected.

Yep, sounds fair.

Not the AFLs fault though, doubt they would had wanted this.

 

[Waspy79]

Agree, it has totally demolished any minute fairness of the already unfair fixture. Totally skewed and screwed this season.

The Bombers play the Suns, Saints, Cats, Tigers and Blues twice. I'd only suggest that the Cats and Tigers are true beneficiaries there, and they probably should have beaten a full strength Essendon anyway.

 

[LFC2010]

So this decision confirms the AFL incompetence right!.

Also Jobe Watson should be made to hand back that Brownlow Medal.

 

[chiwigi]

Not the AFLs fault though, doubt they would had wanted this.

But they did nothing to alleviate or stop it.

 

[Chrizzt]

THIS - I was wondering the same.. can they train?

Pretty sure they can train, they did last time, they just weren't allowed to compete in the NAB cup.
Hence why Ryder took place in our internal trial game last year, as it wasn't an actual game that would count against a backdated suspension.

 

[Papa G]

Surely this isn't the end of it?

Were banned substances actually identified?

All sounds very circumstantial to me.

 

[Canoogs]

So, does this get a mention now?

11.2 Consequences for Team Sports
If more than two members of a team in a Team Sport are found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation during an Event Period, the ruling body of the Event shall impose an appropriate sanction on the team (e.g., loss of points, Disqualification from a Competition or Event, or other sanction) in addition to any Consequences imposed upon the individual Athletes committing the anti-doping rule violation.

With the previous sanctions all being due to "governance", surely the AFL must act again to sanction Essendon under this clause. Shall is a rather iron clad word in contractual law.

 

[Check-Raise !]

Still pissed that Hird, Dank, Doc et al are prob living happily ever after while the players are facing the firing squad. I understand the onus is on each one of the players to know what is going on but (especially for the young kids) you'd be doing everything the club and leadership team says. Surely you wouldn't be walking into a professional football club such as Essendon thinking that you'd need to worry about banned substances.

What ever happened to the NRL team that was going through the same issues (Sharks). Didn't they still only all get a 1 year ban which was backdated?

 

[yepits2020]

The people saying that Essendon deserve this are correct but the players absolutely do not. If you're so up yourself to think that you wouldn't put trust in your team doctor and who ever else at the club ask yourself do any of you ask your doctor or nurse who give you your flu shot, immunisations or any other drug for the vials to see what they are to make sure they are what they say your getting but also, what are all the ingredients? Sure I understand if the players are asked to participate in what they're told is a ground breaking supplements program is a bit different to knowing you're getting a drug widely distributed and tested but you still have the same faith in the fact that those in the right positions have done the leg work in your best interest. Could they have asked more questions, perhaps but whose to say they would have got accurate answers anyway. The players are taking the clubs hit, they've had to endure this for 4 seasons now and should have every right to bankrupt the club and get answers on what they were given as any one else should. If Essendon can't tell them what they were given that is an absolute disgrace. For the players they basically already had previous season high-jacked so I feel 12 months is harsh, 6 would have been statement enough. One last thing, if it's 12 months does that mean since the last time we played was Round 23 last year and they would be eligible for finals? If so that could be very lucky we missed finals.

They actually got banned for two years. They received the maximum penalty.

 

[AdsGoNads]

I agree, just putting it out there that losing Paddy and Gus isn't the end of 2016 as all the texts and what not I'm getting. It's a blow but we will survive and they'll be huge inclusions in 2017. For me I hope the Essendon players don't appeal and this is the end of it.

We didn't have Ryder in 2014 when we were a kick away from the Grand Final.

Monfries can be replaced - we now have Dixson, Jimmy.

Our 2016 team is still much stronger than the 2014 list, with the Season Draw to boot.

2016 is still looking Grand with a glass half full of Power-aide

 

[FallingLiefs]

after doing a little reading i have no sympathy for any of them bar the kids that were drafted into it in their first year. thefact players opted to keep it a secret is a bad look.

 

[Power Raid]

a horrendous decision for the players but a right one

I still can't believe the Essendon club and officials have gotten away with this. Hopefully some justice prevails and the players sue the club and officials. this is probably possible despite waivers as waivers are void if they have an element of illegality.


from a PAFC perspective.......this really hurts.

 

[El Zorro]

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

Players should had taken the deal by ASADA

 

[Sewer de Lance]

As much as I feel for Paddy & Gus, the right decision has been made. What happened under Turd's watch in 2012 was unforgivable and demanded a harsh response. The integrity of the 2016 season has now been severely tarnished.

 

[FallingLiefs]

View attachment 206152

+ from some guy n twitter on main board

CAS: Decision not to disclose the injections to ASADA sprang from a group decision by the Players to keep it secret.

 

[FallingLiefs]

Players should had taken the deal by ASADA

yes and as a club we should have pushed our two to do it. yet for some reason the players(understandable) and our club tried to have good faith towards essendon and let it run. i was strong for it at the time but now it's just revisionist.

 

[gooleyghost]

So wada appealed, can the players appeal? Or sue essendon/afl?

 

[Angus Young]

S

What ever happened to the NRL team that was going through the same issues (Sharks). Didn't they still only all get a 1 year ban which was backdated?

yep players got done for taking peptides. Pretty sure players got 4 weeks ban because unlike Essendon they put their hands up at the start took responsibility and said yep guilty you got us.

 

[Papa G]

Did they find any banned substances though?

 

[CrimsonRaven]

The AFL needs to rule Essendon out of the competition for the next season now or it will be a farce. All games against Essendon should be ruled byes and no points awarded.

Otherwise look forward to Essendon having the worst season in history. 0 wins and 100 point smashinga every week.

 

[PatientMental]

Did they find any banned substances though?

Not how WADA works mate.

 

[chadleverington]

Yep, sounds fair.

If fairness is even remotely important to you, then the AFL isn't a league you follow. Compromised draft, Compromised fixture, Compromised finals.

 

[OneGreatClub]

The Bombers play the Suns, Saints, Cats, Tigers and Blues twice. I'd only suggest that the Cats and Tigers are true beneficiaries there, and they probably should have beaten a full strength Essendon anyway.

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