The Australian 6/8 - Teflon Dons escape drug bans

[Underdog]

Exactly.

ASADA could find no evidence against EFC players in regards to doping violations, yet the players have had to deal with being called drug cheats for months now. They had 6 months to sift through the evidence, talk to players, talk to the fitness staff, etc.

It's an interim report, reportedly no information was provided based on individual athlete violations.

I suspect the report is purely for the AFL to take action prior to finals. This gives ASADA another 6 months to complete their full report whereby the player information will be provided.

 

[tigerfan11]

what a load of rubbish.

You think WADA shadow investigate every investigation? It's a laughable proposition. Think about it for just a second or two. You think they have those kind of resources? Hell, if they do, why even have local bodies?

Seriously. Think before you type.

i stand to be corrected but i am confident fahey said earlier this year they will be working closely with ASADA and reviewing what they do. really, it isn't that far of a stretch. given the controversy created by how crap ASADA have been in all this it makes it even less surprising. reviewing what ASADA does, believe it or not, is significantly less work than actually doing the investigation. it's really not too hard to understand that.

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

#standbyignorance

#standbyirony

 

[Defacto]

Serious? See the news about Baseball today? Or cycling any time in the past 20 years? Or athletics?

You are trying to get played banned for taking a substance that has been shown to have little if any effect, and was probably not illegal at the time it was taken - if it was actually used at all and not just fraud on Mr. Dank's behalf.

Meanwhile US MVP Baseball players are getting 8 week punishments - back in time for the playoffs! - for HGH and Testosterone.

And their player's association is saying even that is unfair.

and look what turning a blind eye has done to baseball or cycling

baseball faces very serious issues in attracting younger fans. people are turning away from the game

if we do not take a stand now our game will end up in exactly the same position in 20 years time

 

[Armchair Critic]

no, they produced the report with all the doping issues that goes to the ADRVP for assessment, right? Infractions imminent?

So are you saying that if there are no infractions against individual players that no report should be produced.

For example A coach/official states ,TB4 was used in our program but I am unsure what players were administered the substance and no records were kept. Obviously no players can receive an infraction but an Anti doping Violation has been committed by the club. I am not saying this has happened but do you honestly believe it is not a possibility.

 

[Despair]

Confirmed then. Arrogant/ignorant same thing in this case

Okay then chief, what act of "responsibility" do you think Essendon should perform so that you are satisifed?

We have already:
- Conducted an internal investigation
- Stood down several EFC staff
- Cooperated with ASADA/AFL throughout investigation
- Addressed the media

 

[QuietB]

It is rather interesting that it was confirmed in this mornings papers that James Hird was asked to consider stepping down earlier in the year.
Patrick Smith was right on the money!!
I find it amusing that all Essendon supporters have dismissed all reports on the topic when it didn't suit their agenda. But now, we have one article in the Australian and a GW comment supporting the Bomber stance and all of sudden we have 'factual' reporting.
Could it be that GW and the guy from the Age is getting their info directly from Essendon??
Could it be that Essendon have had a chance to dissect the report and now are back focussing on getting the players off - hence the leaks exonerating the players??
We are still in the PR spin cycle of the saga.
Why haven't Essendon come out and made a statement that they are in the clear?
After all they have had the document for 2 or 3 days now....

Excellent point. And they have had the best part of all of this year to do that. Still nothing

 

[Oneiros]

yep. Why are ASADA producing a report on governance? We've already had one of those, and it's not their job. The reason is exactly what you've said in the last 2 lines. It's a "result" that isn't in fact a result. The AFL can act or not, finals has credibility, issue starts to fade.

Like I said before, if players aren't infracted soon, as an Essendon supporter I'm pretty darn confident they won't be. ASADA are now investigating the NRL. They've done us. If they had anything, they'd have put it in the "interim" report. Of course they would

Honestly? No farking clue.

I had hoped the report would take this affair out of the realms of the surreal. Instead, all the report seems to have done is back up a tunnel borer to the end of the rabbit hole and started digging for the centre of the earth whilst humming along to Jefferson Airplane... At this stage I would be no more surprised by a finding of complete exoneration than I would be by complete club exclusion in the 2014/15 seasons.

 

[Linda Lovelace]

I can deal with Essendon getting off. I can deal with Hirdy getting off. I can even deal with the gloating of Essendon supporters, especially after Sunday.

I can't deal with a gloating and correct Sam Newman. That is going to be a very tough pill to swallow (inject?).

 

[Munich]

He is standing by yesterdays comments

#standbyriccutio#

Mark is?

Honestly, does anyone really think Ricciuto would air this stuff if he wasn't 100% sure that his source knows something we don't? I don't know much about his media cred but surely you don't go off half-cocked with something like that unless there is some truth to it.

His best mate works at Essendon, there's the source. Now why on earth are there people at Essendon talking about Hird standing down if he has done nothing wrong?

Deluded respondents need not reply to this thanks, I can't handle anymore spin from Bomber people.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

This gives ASADA another 6 months to complete their full report whereby the player information will be provided.

wow, even though they are now investigating several clubs and many dozen players within the NRL?

Just how many resources do you think ASADA has?

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

i have posted this a number of times, but the number of supporters who are ready to give up on the game is growing

it isnt from die hard supporters but by those who attend a handful of game a year and support their team of choice on and off. the other group are parents who's kids attend auskick or junior football

they are over the continual saga's the AFL continues to deliver. from drugs to sexual assault to assault to gambling and now the last straw is performance enhancing drugs

if the penalties are not enforced, people will walk away from the game. especially here in WA where they saw one of their favorite sons banned from the game for self reporting his drug addiction. only to find out years later that players have been self reporting to escape sanctions

Don't know if I'd go that far but watching with interest to see the public reaction once it's all done and dusted.
I think in general people are happy in this case to have players escape penalty but if the penalties don't satisfy the football public in this case I think it'll get very ugly.

 

[tigerfan11]

But what LU is saying is that WADA will intervene where there is clearcut evidence of a breach followed by an insufficient penalty.

Where the evidence doesn't exist - they have no power to intervene.

i understand that. LU is naive to think that ASADA are going to do the investigation and release a report without WADA being briefed and looking into what they are doing. their real power actually lies in intervening in the process if they choose to do so to make sure all relevant evidence is found. that way they're satisfied that it is appropriate to issue sanctions or not.

 

[hawks realist]

Mark is?

Honestly, does anyone really think Ricciuto would air this stuff if he wasn't 100% sure that his source knows something we don't? I don't know much about his media cred but surely you don't go off half-cocked with something like that unless there is some truth to it.

His best mate works at Essendon, there's the source. Now why on earth are there people at Essendon talking about Hird standing down if he has done nothing wrong?

Deluded respondents need not reply to this thanks, I can't handle anymore spin from Bomber people.[/quote]


You better log off for six or twelve months then mate

 

[Lance Uppercut]

So are you saying that if there are no infractions against individual players that no report should be produced.

For example A coach/official states ,TB4 was used in our program but I am unsure what players were administered the substance and no records were kept. Obviously no players can receive an infraction but an Anti doping Violation has been committed by the club. I am not saying this has happened but do you honestly believe it is not a possibility.

either you prove an athlete has taken something (on the balance of probabilities) or you don't.

ASADA don't issue ADV's to clubs. Team based penalties are decided by the AFL commission.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Excellent point. And they have had the best part of all of this year to do that. Still nothing

because it would preempt the investigation???

 

[Jobe Watson]

It's an interim report, reportedly no information was provided based on individual athlete violations.

I suspect the report is purely for the AFL to take action prior to finals. This gives ASADA another 6 months to complete their full report whereby the player information will be provided.

ASADA can take as long as they want. I'm sure they'll try desperately over the next 3 months... 6 months... year even, to find any shred of evidence against the players that would justify their ridiculous, over-blown investigation into the "darkest day in Australian sports." The only reason this isn't already completely over is they want to desperately try to save face and they think that Dank could blow the lid open on the whole thing, when in reality he won't give them anything. 6 months, and they don't have any solid evidence - what a waste of time.

The longer this goes on, the less likely it is players will receive infraction notices.

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

and look what turning a blind eye has done to baseball or cycling

baseball faces very serious issues in attracting younger fans. people are turning away from the game

if we do not take a stand now our game will end up in exactly the same position in 20 years time

Yes - if any of our (AFL) players are found taking HgH or Testosrone, or anything that is proven to be actually performance enhancing, we should slap long bans on them. If EFC are found to have been taking any PEDs, we should take our medicine. If not, we should be penalised only for the lax corporate governance - i.e a fine and at absolute worst draft picks for a year. Anything else for bad corporate governance is not a fair punishment.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

i understand that. LU is naive to think that ASADA are going to do the investigation and release a report without WADA being briefed and looking into what they are doing. their real power actually lies in intervening in the process if they choose to do so to make sure all relevant evidence is found. that way they're satisfied that it is appropriate to issue sanctions or not.

the investigation is conducted by, wait for it, the investigators. Who are?...

WADA can review all they like. They can ensure protocols are followed. They can ensure outcomes are uniform. But they are not conducting the investigation. If the investigation doesn't lead to the ADVRP recommending infractions then WADA can't do shit.

I don't know what you think WADA are, but they are not an omnipotent entity.

 

[Armchair Critic]

either you prove an athlete has taken something (on the balance of probabilities) or you don't.

ASADA don't issue ADV's to clubs. Team based penalties are decided by the AFL commission.

The team based penalties will be decided by the AFL commission though. ASADA are just putting together the report with all information they have obtained.They are allowed to say prohibited substances have been used by the club if they have the evidence it was.

 

[Laphroaig]

Okay then chief, what act of "responsibility" do you think Essendon should perform so that you are satisifed?

We have already:
- Conducted an internal investigation
- Stood down several EFC staff
- Cooperated with ASADA/AFL throughout investigation
- Addressed the media

- Conducted an internal review and done nothing to address it's content
- Hatcheted several expendable sacrifices
- Repeatedly attacked ASADA/AFL to deflect attention from our sins
- Fed bullshit to the media via spin doctors to muddy the waters and gain public sympathy

 

[East coast eagle]

#standbyirony

Good one!! thumbsup
Except how is it ironic that we feel ripped off that your club may get away with.. Before you give me the same old speal, even at best for your club there has been a sevre breakdown of governance surely that deserves some punishment. The ziggy report referred to it as a 'pharmacologically experimental environment'? Your happy with the possibility they may have been injecting one of the best players in the league (brownlow medalist) with experimental drugs (that do nothing apparently). Bombers fans have no leg to stand on with claims of irony.

 

[Albert Ross]

vajay: Tim Watson son is a drug cheat - what do you expect him to say? He is far too bias and shouldnt continue his media role.

Tim Watson was also one of the first to push supplements when he worked for Musashi when his mate founded them

 

[Lance Uppercut]

ASADA can take as long as they want. I'm sure they'll try desperately over the next 3 months... 6 months... year even, to find any shred of evidence against the players that would justify their ridiculous, over-blown investigation into the "darkest day in Australian sports." The only reason this isn't already completely over is they want to desperately try to save face and they think that Dank could blow the lid open on the whole thing, when in reality he won't give them anything. 6 months, and they don't have any solid evidence - what a waste of time.

The longer this goes on, the less likely it is players will receive infraction notices.

you're right, but they actually can't take as long as they want, in reality. They have finite resources, which have all been focused on the AFL until last week. As of last week, ASADA's focus moves to the NRL. And any other investigations that may come up.

 

[Jimthegreat]

yep. Why are ASADA producing a report on governance? We've already had one of those, and it's not their job. The reason is exactly what you've said in the last 2 lines. It's a "result" that isn't in fact a result. The AFL can act or not, finals has credibility, issue starts to fade.

Like I said before, if players aren't infracted soon, as an Essendon supporter I'm pretty darn confident they won't be. ASADA are now investigating the NRL. They've done us. If they had anything, they'd have put it in the "interim" report. Of course they would

This is an interim report, the investigation is still on-going. They will not be infracted, if at all, until the whole thing is done. That could be months. Still to interview Danks, still alot of dots to join in regards to evidence they probably have in regards, to emails, texts, invoices, consents forms etc as I mentioned a few posts above. Without positive tests this takes a long time, as Armstrong found, but like the Essendon slogan, if ASADA suspect anything it'll be whatever it takes to get the evidence. If they felt there wasn't much the investigation would be done by now and you'd be clear.

They can even infract the club just for having it on the premises even without using it.