Essendon coach Mark Thompson has blasted everyone involved in the AFL club’s drawn-out supplements scandal.
Emotionally asking “where’s the decency?”, Thompson says it is unfair that the players involved in the supplements program still do not know their fate.
Thompson’s tumultuous season as an interim senior coach ended on Saturday night when Essendon lost their elimination final to North Melbourne by two goals.
He will now make way for James Hird, who has served a 12-month AFL suspension because of the 2012 supplements program.
The AFL also fined Thompson $30,000, which he is yet to pay.
ASADA have served show-cause notices on 34 current and former Essendon players after investigating the supplements issue.
Essendon have taken ASADA to the Federal Court over the notices and are awaiting a verdict on their legality.
“No-one really understands how difficult it has been and how much pressure we have put these players under,” he said in his last post-game media conference as Bombers coach.
“l really feel sorry for them.
“Everbody has been saying the players are the No.1 priority.
“Well, right now, the players have 34 show-cause letters under their nose – two years later.
“Everybody admits and knows they’ve done not much wrong.
“Where’s the decency? That’s what I think, I feel for the players.”
Thompson was then asked if his frustration was directed at anyone in particular.
“It’s at us, it’s at us – we’re responsible for it – no-one in particular,” he said.
“It’s just all of us.
“We just have to try to free the players.
“They want to know … they deserve it, to know either way, whatever happens.”
Ruckman Paddy Ryder might have played his last game for the club, with speculation he wants a trade to Brisbane.
Media reports have said that he in particular has struggled with the stress of the supplements issue.
News this week of Ryder’s potential move was a major distraction ahead of Saturday night’s final.
“I hope he stays, he’s much-loved,” Thompson said.
“It would be a shame for him to leave.
“We’ve been a club that’s really looked after its people.
“For us to lose someone like Paddy is a poor reflection I think on our club.
“For that reason alone I hope he doesn’t go.”
Thompson added Hird and Ryder were close and the change of coach was not a reason that the ruckman might leave.
Aransan
Guest
And do those sports have anything in common with Australian Rules football? I thought not. Cycling, swimming, athletics are completely different. I believe you will usually find that the individuals caught up in this are not under the public spotlight while the evidence is being gathered over a period of years. I also doubt if there will be attempted interference by politicians and other interested parties together with a running commentary by the media based on leaked confidential information.
mcmanpp
Guest
Aransan, youi should read Glen Mitchell's article here on The Roar of how much time has been required on numerous other high profile drug in sport investigations before the truth has been extracted from parties unwilling to admit the truth, only after which have penalties been issued and cases concluded. It will take as long as it takes.
mcmanpp
Guest
Well said.
Aransan
Guest
I don't believe the evidence of the attempted interference of politicians or the AFL is disputed, the court might decide though that it is not relevant to what is to be adjudicated on.
Aransan
Guest
So the players have to prove they are innocent. What is ASADA actually accusing the players of doing? Neither ASADA nor the courts are going to help bring this matter to a conclusion in my opinion. How long will we have to wait before a workable path will be found? Do you honestly believe that the law will help in this instance?
Nicko
Guest
I have found that people usually argue that the law is an ass when it is going against them...as I said, stop wasting time and money in the courts...answer the show cause letters...can all be over in 2-3 weeks.
Stephen
Guest
Simple buddy. It was revealed in court but not adjudicated by the court yet. I could say anything about you in court, doesn't make it true, does it? The court judges evidence before it not just blindly accept it as fact. The " evidence" you talk about is disputed. That is my point. Essendon dragged it into the court, let's wait for the outcome.
Aransan
Guest
The quicker we all realise that ASADA and the law is an ass, the quicker we will move to a resolution of this matter.
Aransan
Guest
I don't believe the court knows what the evidence is against the players. The involvement of politicians and the AFL has been revealed in the court case. What is your point?
Nicko
Guest
there is a quick way to resolve all this...answer the Show Cause notices and both parties can present their case to the Independent Anti Doping Rule Violation Panel...how easy is that...it is EFC that is dragging this thing out
Stephen
Guest
Why don't you just let the court say what the evidence is?
Aransan
Guest
How long did ASADA take to issue show cause notices? Their investigation went well into two seasons before Essendon went to court. The problem with ASADA is that they haven't been strong enough to be independent, the perception backed up by evidence is that they have been influenced by politicians and the AFL -- that is not being independent.
Domitian
Guest
Anti-doping authorities need to be independent, end of story. It's being drawn out because Essendon have challenged the findings of the independent bodies in court. ASADA isn't the problem, Essendon is.
Aransan
Guest
ASADA is a two bob outfit trying to oversee a billion dollar industry. The answer is for the AFL not to subject themselves to ASADA's scrutiny but to set up their own body to investigate these matters. A billion dollar industry cannot be held to ransom for two years while an under resourced agency is trying to work out what it should be doing. The AFL are losers in this apart from Essendon.
Gecko
Guest
If you inject unknown drugs into your players' stomachs then burn the evidence and counter-sue those who are investigating you, how can you expect the case to be solved quickly? If Essendon really wanted the case to be resolved quickly, they should have been totally open to being investigated. The club's managers threw their players under a bus twice: once when they injected them with unknown drugs and twice when they forced a drawn-out investigative and legal process.
Mark
Guest
There appears to be not easy end to the ASADA investigation. Any suggestions? How about players bring in Dank as their star witness to prove innocence? Not hard to see why Bomber is such a good coach.