Essendon drug investigation

[Ringo]

There is also a thread on this in the Essendon club section

Gold Coast and Geelong have been brought into the controversy as a result of employing the same Sports people.

Couple of matters as it would appear supplements are involved up to 30% of supplements do not list all ingredients on label so there may have been inadvertent taking which may give some defence.

What is muddying the waters is the Letter of Waiver being requested to be signed by players at Essendon. We can speculate that this may be the reason the club went to the ASADA as a player was about to go public with this.

Will be watching these developments closely but suspect a club fine will be invoked.

Interestingly if you read the Gold Coast and Geelong statements they are virtually identical.

[sidvicious]

There is also a thread on this in the Essendon club section

Gold Coast and Geelong have been brought into the controversy as a result of employing the same Sports people.

Couple of matters as it would appear supplements are involved up to 30% of supplements do not list all ingredients on label so there may have been inadvertent taking which may give some defence.

What is muddying the waters is the Letter of Waiver being requested to be signed by players at Essendon. We can speculate that this may be the reason the club went to the ASADA as a player was about to go public with this.

Will be watching these developments closely but suspect a club fine will be invoked.

Interestingly if you read the Gold Coast and Geelong statements they are virtually identical.

Would certainly explain Geelongs dominance over the last few years

[GCSkiwi]

There is also a thread on this in the Essendon club section

Gold Coast and Geelong have been brought into the controversy as a result of employing the same Sports people.

Couple of matters as it would appear supplements are involved up to 30% of supplements do not list all ingredients on label so there may have been inadvertent taking which may give some defence.

What is muddying the waters is the Letter of Waiver being requested to be signed by players at Essendon. We can speculate that this may be the reason the club went to the ASADA as a player was about to go public with this.

Will be watching these developments closely but suspect a club fine will be invoked.

Interestingly if you read the Gold Coast and Geelong statements they are virtually identical.

Would certainly explain Geelongs dominance over the last few years

How so? Bombers managed the lofty hieghts of 11th... doesn't suggest the stuff did any good for them.

[vmac66]

If a player used a banned substance , then they get suspended , if 30 players used a banned substance then 30 players get suspended ... No safety in numbers . .
Or other teams start using banned substances and say , well you can't suspend 38 players . . Makes the rule a joke . .

[sidvicious]

 

There is also a thread on this in the Essendon club section

Gold Coast and Geelong have been brought into the controversy as a result of employing the same Sports people.

Couple of matters as it would appear supplements are involved up to 30% of supplements do not list all ingredients on label so there may have been inadvertent taking which may give some defence.

What is muddying the waters is the Letter of Waiver being requested to be signed by players at Essendon. We can speculate that this may be the reason the club went to the ASADA as a player was about to go public with this.

Will be watching these developments closely but suspect a club fine will be invoked.

Interestingly if you read the Gold Coast and Geelong statements they are virtually identical.

Would certainly explain Geelongs dominance over the last few years

How so? Bombers managed the lofty hieghts of 11th... doesn't suggest the stuff did any good for them.

Started off all-right . Looked very similar to Geelong as well , out running their opposition 

[shaker]

See the Bombers shoot up , up .....

[Vicious Sandwhich Attack]

Well this is escalating quickly...

The language being used by ASADA is quite strong and to the point. Just listening to John Fahey, former WADA head, he was quite specific. There should be no amnesty! Improtant to note it's not his call any more but obviously WADA have a clear line in the sand, and it is WADA's call on bans.

The best players can hope for if they are proved to have had ANY banned substance in their body is 6 months for significant assistance in the investigation. Anyone who gets tapped on the shoulder faces a full 2 year ban. Second part of the comments is that there is NO excuse.... Regardless of waivers, permission slips etc, which have no bearing whatsoever. If you have had the agents in your body you are guilty.

I would imagine the AFL is not going to simply omit a team from competition  They are a money making business after all. I have heard comments like "Entire teams have been involved" - so this is not as silly as it sounds. Maybe they will give provisions for teams that may have 20-30 players banned an opportunity to elevate players from Rookie lists/VFL affiliate teams etc to team lists whilst players serve out their suspensions to ensure they have enough players to field a team.

There are broader things at play to conside such as TV rights. The AFL weren't payed 1.2 billion to screen an amateur, or no competition. The flow-on effect here will be significant.

Theres a lot of timing at play that bothers me about all of this as well. Essendon approached the AFL two days ago, yet listening today, this investigation has been going on for 12 months now. Did Essendon find out through other channels and decide to fall on thier sword to mitigate the penalties??

If anyone has seen the CC's report, it clearly hasn't been created in the last two days. It is 40-odd pages long and quite in depth. It seems this investigation was about to go public in any case. Whoever was the rep from Vic police was, he said he had received the information (Including names etc..) last Monday and they were all ready investigating. Essendon' timing is very curious.

It seems there will be a lot of carnage, and all we can do is wait and see.