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It is hard not to feel sorry for the Essendon squad of 2012, the players were simply a by-product of one of the biggest AFL scandals in history.
The blame should be placed solely on the Bombers’ management, not the innocent players.
AFL chief medical officer Dr Peter Harcourt said he was shocked that the players let this happen.
“Athletes passively accepted the use (of the supplements) – this shocked us,” he said. “Players did not jack up and say ‘what the hell is going on’.”
Football clubs, let alone professional AFL clubs, can be intimidating. The old notion of staying quiet and working hard certainly still rings true.
AFL players are there simply to play football and they are not going to risk their reputation at the club by speaking out against high figures. Their performances, both on and off the field, dictate how long they will be able to make a career out of football. It is their main priority and they should be able to have full trust in the authority figures at the club.
Players from other sides have admitted to taking substances unknown to them, such is their faith to those distributing them at the club.
There was also an element of ‘fan syndrome’ at the Bombers. The leadership within the club were respected ex-players who have achieved plenty in the game, making the task of raising concerns even more daunting.
Because the players were given such exotic supplements – many with growth factors – they will need to be monitored over the next five to ten years for any health issues. Surely that is punishment in itself?
It will be an injustice if the Bombers players are given suspensions as a result of the supplements regimen.
Follow Jackson on Twitter @jclark182
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