ASADA issues amended show-cause notices

I think EFC might be the title holder

Yeah so im a Geelong member… I blame Gillard..her government needed something to get the media off their back!

Worst organisation? Didn't ASADA just smash EFC in the Federal Court? I think you should take off the red and black eye patches.

Thank you, Stephen.

That is probably the best post I have read on this topic.

Here, here! Well said.

' even the bloody PM commented on how crap ASADA has been at handling everything' Yeah..well... you've rather damaged your own argument there.

3 years with no premiership points! How is that not punishing the players?

That's a shame because I quite enjoyed it, the judge actually nodded off due to the defense's very long winded ramblings.

I am not eligible for jury duty mullet.

Supporters of a code where rules are respected and enforced.

Do you hold the same view for Chinese swimmers and Bulgarian weight lifters? I'm sure they have even LESS say than the Essendon players, but I'll bet you called them cheats when their tests come in positive. Just because these are footballers means nothing. They are responsible for what is put into their bodies.

Mark I don't see your point about Prendergast being a passionate ex Carlton player, how has that relevance. He did not state that players were subject to Asbestos like working condition at all. "If we compare that situation at Essendon to what would happen in another industry – say the construction industry, for example, where construction workers are exposed to asbestos through the lies of their employer – would we be talking about punishing those workers or would we be talking about compensating them?" Prendergast said. He is in fact questioning why should the players be punished if they have been misled as to what drugs they were administered. I don't agree with his comparison but that is clearly someone backing the Essendon players. Mark you apparently want to have a go at anyone who says something bad about the players but now you are turning on those that are supporting them.

It's an expression Mister - perhaps you have heard of it? Secondly, what makes you think the laws around anti-doping are not the ones I'm talking about? Thirdly, no we are not talking about just AFL anti-doping laws. If that was the case I think it's fare to say the AFL would have covered it up. Why? Well it has been alleged they tried to tip Essendon off and that is in Justice Middletons' findings also. We are talking about world anti-doping LAWS, which all athletes (whether they are AFL players or not) have to abide by under WADA. They can not enforce anything upon the AFL, but they can ban them from any international events such as the international rules series coming up if they do not deem the sanctions handed out (again if the EFC is found guilty) to be sufficient by the AFL. Fourthly, if think this is what I'm talking about, what makes you believe the laws in place (should they be broken) will not result in some SERIOUS sanctions against the EFC and it's players? Finally, I don't think WADA was to pleased about how the Cronulla situation was handled, nor the penalty handed out. That was a joke and if happens here (should the EFC be found guilty of alleged TB-4 use) then I think this entire process will be deemed as a failure and I will be the first to criticise ASADA and not praise them.

It's a bit dramatic to talk about the "full wrath of the LAW" - we are only talking about the AFL anti-doping code - expect a similar outcome to what the Cronulla players experienced - which ended up all a bit meh.

I disagree with pretty much everything said here. The notion that ASADA are weak and are handling this situation poorly is laughable at best. This is an organisation that is up against one of the biggest and richest Football clubs in Australia. This same club has fought tooth and nail to have the investigation deemed unlawful on a technicality, which they have failed in doing so. This process is half the reason we are still at this stage of proceedings, thus we can squarely blame the EFC for that - not ASADA. Furthermore, we have a coach - who has the right to challenge this in court - appearing to still not take any responsibility for his actions. He is fighting this same case the EFC gave up on in the hope he wins again on...a technicality. ASADA at no stage said to anyone this investigation would be over after their interim report in August last year. Gillian highlighted this and even said there could be further charges at later stages, despite the AFL sanctions against both Hird and the EFC for bringing the game into disrepute. After months of gathering further evidence, despite people such as Dank being completely uncooperative, they have forged together a 350 page document in the form of 'show cause notices' to each of the 34 players (just imagine how long that paper would take a legal team to put together to start with). They had their chance to come forward and give further evidence for the past 18 months, but the EFC has been constantly posturing (along with many on this site) that they have nothing. The players now have the evidence against them and the special powers ASADA has means it does not need to 100 prove anything - all they need to do is show reasonable suspicion of fowl play. The players will now need to seek legal advice and either roll the dice (possible ending in infraction notices), give a very good explanation that sees them getting off or cut a deal. I suspect ASADA is after a deal and would like further information about what has happened behind closed doors and punish the club itself even further and not necessarily the players (if indeed they are mostly innocent in this fiasco). In summary, I personally think this is going to be ASADA's finest hour. I think it is going to show that if you want to run an elicit, experimental pharmaceutical program on Australian athletes, then go do it in another country on non-Australians. I suspect the EFC is going to feel the full wrath of the LAW and if this is the case then I will have no sympathy for them what so ever, whilst having absolute admiration for ASADA in bringing justice!

Why should the Essendon players need to see the evidence before they can plead guilty/not guilty? Either they are in the wrong or they aren't. ASADA's evidence, or lack thereof, has no bearing on whether what happened at Essendon was above board or not. People with genuine concern with the integrity of the sport, or themselves, should not have to be told this. This is why James Hird's actions have been so jarring: "I'll happily go along with any investigation because we did nothing wrong. Oh, we did do something wrong? This investigation was illegal from the start!". The Essendon players: "We will plead not guilty because we did nothing wrong. Unless you managed to find evidence we did something wrong, then we will plead guilty and cut a deal". The whole thing is a farce.

Trial by supporters of other clubs.

You don't believe that scenario punishes the players - meaningless football? Every single AFL fan is punished when a team falls in a heap. I barrack for Hawthorn and want to see more robust competition, not less. It's bad enough that cellar dwellers Melb, Saints, Dogs can't get it together, don't want Essendon down there too.

At last this case can progress with ASADA showing their full hand of cards. I hope this is not a trial by media and supporters of other clubs. That is the way that it is shaping up. Head of the players association Prendergast (passionate Carlton ex player) said that Essendon players were subject to asbestos like working environment. And this guy is representing them? ASADA told Ryder and others that they may have cancer and that Paddys newborn child may be deformed. This entire case appears to be a complete exaggeration. Darkest day in Australian sport. Players will be found guilty regardless of whether they are or not. Time to negotiate a deal without admitting guilt. If that is possible.