Australia’s blackest day in sport
Columnist By David Lord, 8 Feb 2013 David Lord is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- drugs in sport, Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones
Essendon face scrutiny over controversial fitness programs during the 2012 season (AFL media/Slattery Images).
Yesterday colleague Glenn Mitchell brilliantly covered the biggest bombshell in Australia sport this century. Drug-taking and match-fixing on a grand scale has surfaced after a 12-month investigation by the Australian Crime Commission.
The results are breath taking.
Hold the phone, let’s take a step back to try and take it all in. Federal Justice Minister Jason Clare was full of accusations yesterday, but no substance.
He painted a gloomy picture, and we would be naïve, in fact plain stupid, not to sit up and take notice.
But where were the answers, Minister?
Every sport in Australia has regular drug-testing. Obviously those tests fall well short of the mark.
As for match-fixing, it’s a potential blight on every sport. So why are major sports in Australia promoting betting agencies on television on a regular basis?
Not for one minute am I suggesting those agencies are the launching pad for match-fixing. But match-fixing is all about punting, and where there’s smoke there’s fire.
Let’s face it, sport is the engine room of Australian life. Take sport out of the equation and Australia would be a boring country.
One of the great pleasures in life is the ability to salute our sporting stars – and in some cases revere them.
On the other side of the coin, if athletes have to cheat, why compete?
There are no better examples of being found guilty of drug-taking in recent times than track star Marion Jones, stripped of her Olympic medals, and cyclist Lance Armstrong, stripped of his record-breaking seven successive wins at the Tour de France.
Two ‘phenomenal’ athletes who had to cheat to compete.
These are early days, but thanks to the ACC the cheating door has been kicked down and from here on in the air should be clearer.
What we are hearing and reading now is distasteful, grubby, and not acceptable. It’s not the Australian way.
It’s up to the Federal and State governments, in conjunction with every sport in Australia, to right the wrongs.
It’s a massive ask the administrators must win across the board.
It won’t happen overnight, but where there’s a will there’s a way.
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The Crowd Says (84) | Page 1 of Comments
- Explore:
- drugs in sport, Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones
February 8th 2013 @ 7:01am
MV Dave said | February 8th 2013 @ 7:01am | Report comment
“What we are hearing and reading now is distasteful, grubby, and not acceptable. It’s not the Australian way.” Yeh Australians live on a different planet to the rest of the world! Statements such as yours are probably one of the reasons why this problem has arisen in the first place…”it’s only the foreigners that do it”… talk about head in the sand stuff.
February 8th 2013 @ 7:49am
David Lord said | February 8th 2013 @ 7:49am | Report comment
I don’t know how old you are MV Dave, but when I was a kid the front door and the car door were never locked, nothing was ever stolen, and the cops were a kid’s best friend. Any problems away from home and the cops always delivered. And for good measure, every kid ALWAYS stood up for elders on the bus, tram, or train. We did live on a different planet, and proud of it. Not any more.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:14am
Punter said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:14am | Report comment
Ok I will try again.
Mr Lord, I think if you reviewed life when you were a kid, it was not perfect for those who were not white, male & middle class.
I’m in my 50s & I think you are from another planet. Look at the world now, it’s far bigger than England, Australia & the US which was what you were used to.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:27am
Titus said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Lol..yeah, things were so much better under the white Australia policy before we gave Aboriginies the right to vote.
Hey guess what, Australians cheat and Australians are corrupt, welcome to the world Australia. Anyway, gambling and organised crime have a long history in this country.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:27am
c said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:27am | Report comment
oh and mr lord i presume that the car door was never locked in many other countries back then as well
February 8th 2013 @ 9:28am
David Lord said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Punter, I can only recall what life was like for me, there was no other criteria. Of course the world is bigger, but there’s still no reason why honesty, fair play, and being decent to fellow man needs to be dead and buried.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:38am
Adam Scroggy said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:38am | Report comment
“We did live on a different planet, and proud of it.”
What part of that line suggests you were only talking about your own experience?
All due respect David, but when you bemoan the fall of the planet because of the generations that followed yours, a few of us (I’m 27) are going to take exception.
But of course, you’re spot on about honesty, fair play and decency. We should all continue to push for all of those things.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:44am
Punter said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:44am | Report comment
I have no doubts that we could do with alot more of those values these days.
But we have values now that didn’t exist in those days being decent to your fellow mans needs (all men, women & children, irrespective of age, class, color, religion, gender, lifestyle & understanding that different cultures have different values (by this I mean all cultures, not just us white men understanding, but all men understanding).
I know you are a cricket fan, I mean the different culture values of say a country like Australia to a country like India.
February 8th 2013 @ 12:23pm
Midfielder said | February 8th 2013 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
David
I think the world was different then … however the very same people who were in charge in what you call your day set up the systems for those that followed…
I agreed in being decent to a fellow man is a good creed to follow but I think everyone on the planet feels that way. …. like when did it start with the razor gangs in the rocks in the 20′s… with Kerry Packer’s war on cricket…
With sport becoming a massive media product with sports people paid mega sums of money and becoming famous.. but who made the decisions … it’s simple money corrupts and in sport their is big money … the race track as long as I can remember has been HHHMMMM interesting …
Interesting I read the other day that in 1910 there where 1.2 billion people in the world today there are I think 7 billion… by 2112 if the same increase happens over 50 billion people …
So I guess mate that maybe our we are different we are unique has always been BS … in sport without trying to open a war … in world sports … boxing, running, football, we do very poorly … in Australian sports we do very well and our media tell us how well we are doing in these Australia sports … just goes to show we are not that different after all … just think we are …
February 8th 2013 @ 9:36am
Hansie said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Aren’t there suspicions that Herbie Collins threw an Ashes test back in 1926? Wasn’t cycling in Australia in the late 1800s blighted by fixing? Sport controversies are not exclusive to the modern generation, so I find it hard to believe that Australia was so perfect “in the old days”.
February 8th 2013 @ 10:43am
BigAl said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:43am | Report comment
Don’t forget the convicts – and what about The Rum Rebellion and associated rorting and illegal activities, which until recently was the greatest in the nations history !
February 9th 2013 @ 4:53am
Bob Anderson said | February 9th 2013 @ 4:53am | Report comment
This is the same knee-jerk response all over the western world whenever someone points out that some things were better in the past. Sure, a few things were unjust in the past. That doesn’t mean you have to radically throw out all the many many things that were better in the past. I believe that’s called “throwing the baby out with the bath water.” You get rid of all good things to rectify a few bad things? Where’s the logic in that?
February 8th 2013 @ 10:45am
droppa said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Yeah Dave,Sure…Grow up in the X did ya ?
February 8th 2013 @ 12:16pm
sheek said | February 8th 2013 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
Respect sonny boy, respect.
David Lord has achieved more in his lifetime than you ever will. If you want to know how or why, I’ll happily oblige you. Otherwise, get rid of your ignorance & find out a bit of his past.
By all means disagree with David, but show respect.
February 8th 2013 @ 2:17pm
Redb said | February 8th 2013 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
Sheek,
The soccer mafia like to gang up. Its the way they roll, not an individual amongst them. #cyberultras lol
February 8th 2013 @ 3:25pm
Punter said | February 8th 2013 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
You are amazing Redb, there is no letting up from you.
February 8th 2013 @ 4:27pm
MV Dave said | February 8th 2013 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
Your suggestion is pathetic…no need to take your embarrassment of Essendon’s behaviour out on the rest of us.
February 8th 2013 @ 4:33pm
Redb said | February 8th 2013 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
MVDave,
Just proved my point. David Lord has more credibility than the lot of you.
Go the mighty Bombers!!
February 8th 2013 @ 4:51pm
MV Dave said | February 8th 2013 @ 4:51pm | Report comment
LOL Redb…back at Windy Hill in the day the only thing the players were on were VB, ciggies and the promise of a shag later that night.
February 8th 2013 @ 3:02pm
Titus said | February 8th 2013 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
Not sure droppa is a soccer fan Redb. #puttinghastagsattheendofyourcommentiscool
February 8th 2013 @ 1:12pm
David Lord said | February 8th 2013 @ 1:12pm | Report comment
Is Droppa short for drop-kick?
February 8th 2013 @ 12:59pm
WoobliesFan said | February 8th 2013 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
You’re out of touch David.
February 8th 2013 @ 7:07am
Roarsome said | February 8th 2013 @ 7:07am | Report comment
“What we are hearing and reading now is distasteful, grubby, and not acceptable. It’s not the Australian way.” Exactly! Tobacco and Alcohol commercials are far more creative than anything the betting agencies can offer. Bring ‘em back I say and tell the betting agencies to take a punt.
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February 8th 2013 @ 7:27am
nickoldschool said | February 8th 2013 @ 7:27am | Report comment
Unfortunately, “the Australian way” is a concept long gone. The fair go, ‘give it a crack’, no cheating, no doping etc is behind us. As someone said yesterday, “we australians have been naive and arrogant for far too long”. Time to wake up; no aussies arent any better than the others and should not give morale lessons to the rest of the world (in sports, politics, biz etc).
Thing is, and i agree 100% with David on that, Australia IS sport. Take it out of the equation and Oz wouldnt be Oz. Sport is one of the reasons why ppl move here, stay here and love the life they have in this country.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:51am
Pete said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Hmmm. I assume by “sport” you mean the rugby codes, AFL, national team cricket, occasional major swimming and a few tennis tournaments in January of each year (plus a bit of a pickup in football crowds during the current season of A League) – same old, same old. Why? Because, over the long haul, there is precious little interest in attending other sports events. I specifically exclude racing from the category of sports.
Now, if you think, “people” move to Australia for any of the above, then, my friend, what you need is a long, relaxing bath, followed by an afternoon nap. When you wake up from it, nickoldschool, you may be surprised to find yourself in the real world.
February 8th 2013 @ 10:34am
Jonesy74 said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:34am | Report comment
I’m sure the 1st thing boat people do when they resurface is head straight to the SFS for a Titans v Roosters snoozefest.
February 8th 2013 @ 11:20am
Gpc said | February 8th 2013 @ 11:20am | Report comment
Lol
February 8th 2013 @ 10:55am
nickoldschool said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:55am | Report comment
By sport I meant the outdoors, the climate, exercising, parks, life style and also yes ‘sports, playing or watching them. It is obvious than many ppl choose Australia because of economical or political reasons first.
However, there are many of us who choose to move here ALSO for the lifestyle, outdoors etc. So yes,in this sense, Australia IS sport IMO. If you think we love it here because of the culture, architecture or proximity of other countries well guess what, it’s not the case. The fact Oz is the ‘ lucky country’ is the main factor for most moving here but Oz does have a few other things to offer. No need to be patronising in any case my dear old friend.
February 9th 2013 @ 12:31am
Lorry said | February 9th 2013 @ 12:31am | Report comment
Pete,
you are a fool dismissing Sport in Aust.
Australia doesn’t have much in terms of music or other arts (although it does have some great authors), but it does have the richest sporting landscape on the planet, along with the Republic of Ireland
February 8th 2013 @ 4:59pm
Nick Inatey said | February 8th 2013 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
February 8th 2013 @ 8:26am
oikee said | February 8th 2013 @ 8:26am | Report comment
The last thing this country wants to do is push all this under ground. Black market stuff.
Prohibition in America is what happens if we dont allow gambling out in the open, same as smoking and drinking. nd this is when corruption really takes hold.
We need to fight this, but out in the open, tackle it head on. Banning betting and drinking and even smoking is not going to help anything or anyone. The price of cigerettes now will create a blck market soon enough. Not that i smoke, but i do know the price and it is rediculas, a 100 dollars for 4 packets.
One last point, and this has been admitted. The war on drugs worldwide cant ever be won. They have admitted this, and it is easy to see why. Huge money involved. We will be forever figthing drug cartels and corruption. If we legilise this, again, we have failed.
February 8th 2013 @ 8:27am
Train Without A Station said | February 8th 2013 @ 8:27am | Report comment
I’m not 100% sold on these broad sweeping statements regarding drug use. Australian sport is heavily skill based. We really don’t have positions like NFL’s line men where you can just be big and strong and make it. There are too many nuances, both in physical skills and in smarts to be a good player.
In AFL for example, Gary Abblett isn’t the best player because he can run harder for longer and is stronger than his opposite numbers. He is the best player because he can kick more effectively, knows where the ball is going to be, can read defenses better and due to all of this probably doesn’t have to run as hard or as far as his opposite.
Beyond injury recovery and isolated cases I don’t see drug use being too effective in Australian sport. Cricket, Rugby League, Rugby Union and AFL aren’t like cycling where if you can work harder than everybody else you can be the best. Some of the best players in fact didn’t have to work as hard as everybody else.
Match fixing, spot fixing, etc. Well that’s a different story… Australian sport doesn’t pay what other international sports pay, I can see a few lower paid fringe players succumbing to the lure of a quick buck here.
February 8th 2013 @ 8:39am
Fred said | February 8th 2013 @ 8:39am | Report comment
Completely agree … drug taking is not the Australian way. We pride ourselves on a level playing field for all.
Any player who engages in the taking of performance enhancing drugs or match fixing should not only be banned from all professional sport but also from attending any events.
Australians fought hard for a reputation of sportsmanship and we should fight equally hard to regain it.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:09am
Punter said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:09am | Report comment
During the Olympics some US swimming fans complained of drug cheating by the Chinese swimmer (the medley swimmer) & yes they have a history of it due to her amazing performance. Some other fans said other countries may suspect Michael Phelps & the American fans were stunned that anyone would suspect Phelps, it was not the American way. Well, we all know about Mr Armstrong.
As sport gets more professional, more & more sportsmen & women are willing to take the risk in America, China, Brazil, Russia & Australia to get that extra edge.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:26am
Fred said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Yes I remember that furore quite well. Many opinions came out. You could suspect Phelps as he is so much more successful than other swimmers who train ridiculously hats as well.
The Chinese were looked at because of their significant improvements within small time frames.
We however must not lay blame on anyone that has not been PROVEN to have done anything wrong. It is unsporting to do so. As Australians we should once again aim to be at the forefront of keeping cheats out of sport. But also at the forefront of making sure the temptation is hidden from them as much as possible.
Australians can still lay claim to being a country who values sportsmanship, just not one where our athletes all display the same values.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:53am
Pete said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:53am | Report comment
Yeah. I still venerate the Australian cricket team’s reputation for sportsmanship(sic!), especially the fine example set by Shane Warne.
February 8th 2013 @ 8:42am
Redb said | February 8th 2013 @ 8:42am | Report comment
The Roar using another Essendon photo when it is an Australian wide problem.
February 8th 2013 @ 8:58am
Anon said | February 8th 2013 @ 8:58am | Report comment
it may well turn out that Essendon has less to worry about than others? That might be the irony.
People should be concerned by the AFL commissioner MIke Fitzpatrick’s statement that up to 12 months ago the AFL felt WADA testing to be ‘relatively successful’. And that yesterday made clear that it’s not.
SO, be very concerned about any code for example that hangs their drug testing hat solely upon ASADA testing (WADA code).
The need to pursue more intelligence based investigation is clear and clearly exemplified by Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace in the US via evidenciary proof.
February 8th 2013 @ 10:09am
Redb said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Agree.
There are going to be two categories.
Athletes who unsuspectingly took banned supplements.
Athletes who deliberately took performance enhancing drugs.
Same penalty, different intent. I’m confident Essendon will fall into the first category IF they have inadverently taken banned substances due to sports science gurus using them as guinea pigs.
February 8th 2013 @ 10:16am
Ian Whitchurch said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:16am | Report comment
Redb,
Theres also a third category.
Clubs who deliberately set out to put their athletes in category one or two.
These clubs need to be smashed – not just for the crime, but to convince the next side that this isnt worth it.
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2012/05/21/327641_gfc.html
Thats another story worth reading, except with the current context in mind.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:02am
Australian Rules said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:02am | Report comment
My advice?
Get used to it Redb.
February 8th 2013 @ 10:10am
Redb said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:10am | Report comment
No I’m going to point it out.
February 8th 2013 @ 10:38am
Australian Rules said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:38am | Report comment
I’m not a Bombers fan but I’m not enjoying this one bit.
From what we’ve heard so far, this PEDs issue permeates every code to some extent.
That said, it seems (at this stage) that no club had a systematic program to the extent Essendon did. We’re talking about at least half the playing group injecting possible banned substances (unwittingly or not).
So rightly or wrongly, the Essendon FC will be the poster childs of this scandal for decades to come. Over 140 years of history – it’s a tragedy.
Dean Robinson has plenty to answer for – Bomber Thompson maybe more. Evans, Robson, Hird – I’m not sure who will survive this, but heads must roll at Windy Hill.
February 8th 2013 @ 2:22pm
Redb said | February 8th 2013 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
Thanks AR,
My fervent hope is that ASADA find no proof as the players and EFC have been taken for a ride by this PED dealer.
Matthew Lloyd, barely out of the game 3 years said ‘sports science’ was nowhere as pervasive at the club, it has escalated right under everyones noses and not just at Essendon.
Agree on Bomber Thompson re Robinson connection, illegal or not there has to be a shake up.
Hird must stay.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:11am
Punter said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Yes Redb, when discussing drug use & match fixing, no professional sport is safe.
February 8th 2013 @ 11:19am
oikee said | February 8th 2013 @ 11:19am | Report comment
Hear hear, and i hope rugby union is listening as well.
They seem very qyuite on this subject yet only a couple of weeks ago a allblack run amoke in NZ. (Zac Gillford) no secret, the papers in NZ reported it, but our boys on the roar said nothing.
February 8th 2013 @ 5:02pm
Nick Inatey said | February 8th 2013 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
With all due respect oikee…what one allblack does in NZ is hardly newsworthy here.
February 8th 2013 @ 9:55am
Fussball's AFL tracking spreadsheet said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Perhaps I’m missing something on this ‘blackest of days’ but does the report recommend any specific criminal charges be laid? If we’re talking about match fixing, illegal drug taking and links with organised crime then presumably someone has broken the law, meaning the police should be taking action.
I’m not trying to understate the significance of what may have ocurred, just intrigued as to how such sweeping statements about illegal activiies can be made without any specific evidence of criminal activity,
February 8th 2013 @ 10:42am
Australian Rules said | February 8th 2013 @ 10:42am | Report comment
All the sport chiefs who stood beside jASON Clare at the ACC press conf. were given specific details about the report (and then all signed confidentiality agreements at the request of the ACC).
The report provided to the media and public yesterday was a sanitised version (names taken out) of the more detailed report.
February 8th 2013 @ 12:57pm
Fussball's AFL tracking spreadsheet said | February 8th 2013 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
OK thanks, makes sense.
February 8th 2013 @ 11:16am
BigAl said | February 8th 2013 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Spot on Fuss II ! (if I may refer to you as such) ?
The media are just drooling over all of this
February 8th 2013 @ 9:57am
josh said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:57am | Report comment
Essendon doped and finished 11th? Either it means the teams above them doped better or the regime pushed by Dank is rubbish.
The bigger issue is Lawn Bowls. How much PEDs are they guzzling each day?
February 8th 2013 @ 9:58am
Badjack said | February 8th 2013 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Most of the commentariat are focusing on the clubs and players. Thats got to be done, however, the authorities are not talking about recreational drugs or known performance enhances that players can easily get their hands on. It is much bigger and certainly far different than that.Therefore the initial and major focus has to be on the sport scientists, club doctors, high performance managers and trainers. These are the people with the knowhow and expertise and they need guinea pigs to test their science. Players are not going to have access to the TYPE of drugs and other products that are being used except from those people. The criminal element are not dealing directly with the players because they need the chemists and sport scientists to develop the products from the base drugs supplied by the crims. Bring these grubs to justice first, then hit the people who allowed their team members to be used as guinea pigs and then you can all have a shot at the guinea pigs.
If the media focus remains on the players the real crooks will walk free.