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Ignorance isn't innocence, but let's give Bombers the benefit of the doubt

31st March, 2015
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31st March, 2015
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The Essendon players still on AFL lists can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing they can take the field for their teams for the season opener.

They had all been provisionally suspended during the pre-season competition while the AFL tribunal heard the case concerning whether they had taken the banned substance Thymosin Beta-4.

It’s not surprising they have been found not guilty as ASADA’S case was paper thin. Still ASADA may appeal – their boss, Ben McDevitt, had been confident the result would go their way.

READ MORE:
NOT GUILTY: Essendon players cleared by AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal
GLENN MITCHELL: Will we ever know what happened at Essendon?
CAM ROSE: Let’s get on with the footy

It was obviously misguided optimism as this sordid issue has been bubbling along for 25 months, and although Essendon received a justified whack for poor governance, ASADA were unable to prove the players took a banned substance.

The Essendon players say they were not told by the controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank, who ran the supplement program, what they were being injected with. That tactic is fraught with danger as they should know exactly what it is they are receiving.

Ignorance doesn’t equal innocence. Even if they are young and naive, you should know what injection or pill is going into your body, how it will help you, and what side effects may come from it. If you are uncomfortable, don’t take them.

Of course that’s easier said than done, with players devoting their lives to getting on an AFL list and once there determined to comply to everything issued and organised by the club.

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The players have handled themselves well in adversity, especially inspirational skipper Jobe Watson. Considering what they have been through, Essendon’s on-field performances over the past two years have been excellent.

James Hird’s views that the players have done nothing wrong have been vindicated. But he can no longer boast that boy-next-door image, which was such a big part of his playing persona – his reputation may have been tarnished forever.

Essendon as a club is tarnished as well, and the club’s off-field brand needs to be rebuilt. The return of Kevin Sheedy will help.

If ASADA appeals, and with the Tribunal still to rule on the involvement of Dank in the saga, there’s still more mud. But the players can now play, hopefully uninhibited and with lessons learnt.

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