ASADA - from best practice to basket case

Just an opinion Glenn but I think the exercise of the law in relation to evidence could provide an explanation for the difference between the Saad and Sandor cases. Saad's case was determined on incontrovertable evidence (the positive test) and did not reply on Saad's admission. I believe Saad offered the defence that he inadvertently took the substance - maybe if it couldn't have been proved that he did it deliberately the sentence reduced due to mitigating circumstances, but given the two years suspension, I doubt it was taken into consideration. In Sandor's case, the evidence to determine the appropriate finding and sentence relied on Sandor's admission/confession. Admissions of guilt, unless substantiated by other evidence, may not always provide sufficient for conviction - hence ongoing investigation and the case dragging on. An admission AND a positive drug test a la Saad, may have expedited matters.

Hardly incompetence PopeP - did you read his dummy-spit reply email to the team doctor when the latter had the outrageous temerity to suggest to Hird that what he was doing - and the whole rotten scheme - was suspect and shouldn't continue. Expert advice from a respected professional that Hird deliberately chose to ignore. That's not just an act of incompetence mate. It's much, much worse.

'If they did nothing at all wrong then they have no reason to fear anything'. Really? why don't you read up on Salem witch hunts? This is the exact reason why most Western democracies have a Bill of Rights.

Isn't it up the NRL to decide the length and severity of any bans and not ASADA?

With the prospect of ASADA action against its players looming, the news has got even worse for Essendon, with the Victorian WorkCover Authority launching an investigation into the club’s 2012 supplements program. Fairfax Media has confirmed the authority recently began its investigation into Essendon’s workplace health and safety practices after receiving a request from an external body. In a statement to Fairfax Media, a VWA spokesman said: “The VWA has been monitoring the progress of the ASADA investigation into allegations surrounding the Essendon Football Club. The VWA recently received a request under section 131 of the OHS Act 2004 to investigate alleged risks to health and safety at the club. The VWA is required to investigate and determine if further action should be taken. As this is a current investigation, the VWA is unable to comment further.” It is not known whether the request to the VWA was made by the AFL, ASADA or some other organisation or individual. -------- Finally, workcover is involved.

A bit defensive there Glenn.

If it's not on a banned list, then it still needs to be on the approved list for it to be legal to use. In other words if it's not listed on the approved list don't use it, simple.

Can The Dockers count all the premierships from South or East Fremantle in the WAFL towards their tally?

#Swampy Using Ben Cousins as an example actually illustrates what's wrong with this. The AFL illicit drugs policy was only introduced in 2005 and by any measure was in its infancy esp compared to now. Cousins won the 2005 Brownlow Medal. Played in a Gf and won his 4th club B&F. Whatever the level of AFL testing before going WADA compliant in Nov 2005 it hadn't detected him nor as you suggest the NRL with Johns. Since then the AFL has been the biggest paying customer for ASADA/WADA testing as well as running what is now a far improved illicit drugs policy. And all that exercise has illustrated is the futility of it all. Such that the AFL now will use the cheaper Dorevitch Pathology for testing and refer suspicious cases to the more expensive WADA accredited labs. The Govt of course pays for testing for Olympic sports and so they are subsidised by paying customers in the AFL & NRL. The new ASADA boss sounded so strong when he stated they'd rely more on 'intelligence' than testing results moving forward but anyone following this pretty well knows that position is all that is available to them. He did well to make it sound like tough talk. The danger for Ess and Cronulla though is whether even with no positive tests that ALL players can be hit under a reasonable suspicion of some use even if they expressly signed on to not do so.

Your claim that the ACC report has been taken off their website is incorrect. See: https://www.crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/organised-crime-and-drugs-in-sports-feb2013.pdf

I'm just looking at a repeat of Offsiders from last Sunday. Saw the sound and vision of the current Minister, Peter Dutton, referring to the political grandstanding of the blackest day in Australian sport from 15 months ago, saying straight out that both the ACC and ASADA were used by the previous government for political purposes, wheeled out to support a highly politicised act (and when you read the ACC report, it's so incoherent and lacking in focus that it has quite clearly been subject to political interference). Waheed Aly made the point that ASADA's incompetence has continued well into the current government's reign, so it can't all be sheeted home to the previous government. Everyone appeared to agree that Andruska should have been sacked last year. But what does it all mean for the present investigation? Basically, if the incompetent ASADA tries to push this through, the players involved will have plenty of grounds for appeal to keep it ticking through the AAT and Federal Court until well after they have retired - their case being like swiss cheese - their adherence to process (or non-adherence) having broken every rule in the book.

The minister going off like a flare on the day Eddie Obeid fronted the royal commission in Sydney compromised the investigation. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.

I didnt think id ever agree with you Simoc, but miracles do happen . I couldn't agree with you more.

Fit young athletes receiving regular injections - whether legal or illegal substances is a very bad look. The drawn out investigation is fitting punishment in my book.

Substances prohibited under the WADA Code are not necessarily illegal in broader society - and thus the question marks as to why a body set up to investigate crime would investigate something which does not constitute a criminal offence. Therefore, the arrests you are breathlessly trying to impress us with quite clearly cannot be in relation to these substances, because they are not illegal as such. In terms of the influence of the ACC report, I quote: “There are no active criminal investigations into allegations raised by the Australian Crime Commission's year-long examination of organised crime and drugs in sport despite state-based police having been aware of its findings for the past five months,” reported the Australian after the ACC report was released.

@Mister Football Have you done any background reading on this issue? IF you had followed this issue from the start you would be aware that: The substances Essendon & Cronulla are alleged to have taken are imported, distributed, supplied, sold & trafficked by the same criminal organisations that import, distribute, supply, sell & traffic illegal drugs. Organised crime control the supply of PEDs. That's how the AFL & NRL guys were caught in the web. They were caught when the ACC were monitoring organised crime figures. They were not the original targets of the ACC surveillance, but certain AFL & NRL names kept popping making phone calls & SMS messages to organised criminals. The evidence is already available. Unfortunately, the nature of the way the ACC gathers evidence through coercive & covert operations means the evidence that it gathers is not admissible in court proceedings - it cannot be used by ASADA & it cannot be used by law enforcement to bring criminal charges.

The substances Essendon and Cronulla may or may not have taken are not prohibited by law, and thus the doubts many commentators have expressed about the legitimacy of the ACC looking at it in the first place.

"Two years after the ACC’s investigation, neither of the AFP or state policing authorities have followed up – such was the quality of their initial investigation and report. ..absolutely nought has come of it." You really ought to keep up with the news. There have been numerous arrests, charges & convictions based on data gathered by the ACC. In particular, major players at high-profile outlaw motorcycle gangs are behind bars, or awaiting trial. In the past 5 months, AFP & Customs have seized some of the biggest hauls of ecstasy, Ice, cocaine, marijuana & heroin that were being imported into AUS. You're kidding if you think nothing has happened ... just because a couple of blokes from AFL & NRL haven't been charged by ASADA!!

So it was Gillard who oversaw the needle/drug regime at Essendon and shredded whatever records that were kept. All is forgiven James, come home!!!

Sorry micka - doesn't cut any ice with me. ASADA had Sandor Earl signed, sealed and delivered - full confession - corroborating evidence - all ASADA had to do was hand the evidence over to the Anti-Doping Rules Violation Panel as a lay down misère - quick meeting and name entered in the Register of Findings - could have been done inside one working day with no problem at all - but what do we have 9 months on? No action. Quite seriously - no action.