The major sporting codes in this country are always trying to outdo each other. This week two of them simply imitated each other with displays of mind-blowing ineptitude.
Both the AFL and Cricket Australia have certainly failed to cover themselves in glory. From what we know, both could have easily avoided the embarrassment that has beset them.
Let’s start with the AFL.
Fremantle champion Ryan Crowley faced the media yesterday to explain that he had returned a positive result to a game-day drug test last July. The club stressed that it would stand by their man, who is awaiting a tribunal date.
They went on to explain that to their knowledge the drug in question was contained in a painkiller that Crowley chose to use without consulting any of the club’s medical staff as is mandated.
Crowley’s actions border on straight-out stupidity given the amount of education that elite athletes have regarding performance enhancing substances.
However, in the end, Crowley’s fate will be determined by the AFL Tribunal, which at some point may feel the need to sit and hear the matter.
Following the Fremantle media conference, the AFL released a timeline that mapped out the procedural matters to date with respect to the case.
It reads like this:
– Sample collection July 13
– A Test result August 11
– Player told of A Test result August 18
– B Test result September 11
– Show Cause Notice issued September 18
– Provisional ban commenced September 25
It took around 10 weeks from the time the test was undertaken until the provisional ban was handed down.
We are now in the 25th week since that suspension took effect and according to the Dockers they are hopeful of a tribunal hearing in the next few weeks.
Well that’s nice isn’t it?
This delay sits wholly and solely with the AFL, as ASADA’s role – with the exception of providing evidence at the tribunal – ended in September last year.
The league has annual revenue in an excess of $450m – it is big business as it keeps telling us. Yet for some reason it has not been able to set up a tribunal hearing to hear one player’s case.
Yes, we know the Essendon saga has seemingly run longer than Neighbours and it has occupied the time of many at AFL HQ, but a six-month wait for a fair hearing for Crowley is ludicrous.
We now wait with bated breath to see just when the AFL will deign it necessary to convene a hearing.
And now to Cricket Australia.
The final round of Sheffield Shield fixtures concluded yesterday, resulting in Victoria earning the right to host the final against Western Australia.
Unfortunately the MCG is off limits because of the World Cup Final, and the second-choice Melbourne venue, the Junction Oval, is deemed to be not at the necessary standard to host a first-class fixture.
One would have thought that the matter from there was a simple one to sort out, as the situation is clearly set out in the competition’s 2014-15 Playing Conditions:
“The team that finished first on the points table at the conclusion of the preliminary matches shall earn the right to host the final at a suitable first class venue within its state, provided that this venue is acceptable to Cricket Australia. Should the team waive this right, the choice shall be offered to the team that finished second. Otherwise the decision shall be made by Cricket Australia.”
Pretty straightforward?
The WACA was awaiting a phone call to be offered the hosting rights, but it never came. Instead, the domestic showcase will be staged at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Not surprisingly, the Warriors and their management are up in arms. CA has uprooted the goalposts and moved them quite a distance.
Surely the whole point of penning the season’s playing conditions in the first place was to set out plainly and openly the way the competition would be run?
Obviously not.
Two sports and two stuff-ups. In nature, the issues at hand may be apples and oranges, but in reality neither should have been able to reach the stage they have.
Supporters should expect – and receive – better.
Rob
Guest
There's plenty of grounds the VCA didn't get off their asses early enough and book one just in case they hosted the final. It's Victorias fault. Simple as that.
9 Monkeys
Roar Rookie
Really? A player gets charged with striking on a Saturday and the hearing is held in the week following but a player is provisionally suspended on a drugs charge and the AFL takes 25 weeks (and counting) to hold a hearing. Sorry, but I think that is spectacularly unacceptable. Okay, I get that a drugs charge is more complicated than your average match day report but surely the AFL could have set a date - say 10-12 weeks in advance so the sides could prepare, back in September. This could have/should have been over before Christmas.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
A very well considered post Perry. The "specified substance" is an interesting dimension of this. The way ASADA frame "specified substance" on their website is that it's more on the incidental side of things, with asthma medications and the like. If that's any indication at all for this case then Freo and Crowley must be willing the hearing closer.
mds1970
Roar Guru
The whole point of the Junction Oval development is for there to be somewhere for cricket to go in March and free up the MCG for the AFL season to start earlier. This year's an exception because of the World Cup; but in most years the AFL wants to start mid-March - but that can't happen if cricket is still using the MCG. Sharing the facility with St Kilda would defeat the whole point of it. St Kilda would want to train, which affects cricket's access and forces them back to the MCG. And training around roped-off wicket squares can be problematic. That's what forced Essendon to Tullamarine & GWS to Sydney Olympic Park; and why Richmond Cricket Club was evicted from Punt Road.
Winston
Guest
Maybe I wasn't clear in my train of thought. It's because I don't think 25 weeks is such a long time. These things take time.
70s Mo
Guest
It says "at a suitable venue within it's state". Vic. Cricket has pulled out the old "Tasmania was once joined to the mainland" stunt - and got away with it!
Jeremy
Guest
Is cricket a code? I don't think so.
anchorman
Guest
I bet they wouldn't be playing the final at Arctic Park if NSW had finished second. There is no way that the NSW cricket board would have allowed that to happen.
Alex
Guest
Are you sure? Could have been the work of one of those unscrupulous death cults...
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
Winston, I have no argument whatsoever with the testing procedures or the timing of that side of things. What I find ludicrous is that 25 weeks on from a provisional ban being put in place the AFL has not convened a tribunal hearing to determine the player's fate. I cannot understand why it has not been dealt with yet and to date, still no hearing date has been made.
Perry Bridge
Guest
As far as Ryan Crowley goes it is interesting - it's a 'specified substance' and not a 'prohibited substance'. There is even a possibility that Crowley will get nothing more than a warning/reprimand - especially if there's no intent to cheat and it can be illustrated as an honest mistake. The concept of 'specified substances' allows a reduction in penalties although Ahmad Saad was a specified substances case where ASADA appealed (but lost) the 18 month reduced sentence. Although the energy drink was a different kettle of fish to a pain killer you'd think. I guess we wait and see. The ASADA timeline is deemed to be about right. The AFL tribunal is another issue. Not sure how long that process is deferrable? btw - interesting the question whether this particular test was carried out at great expense by ASADA in the first instance or as part of the AFL's expanded PED testing contracted to Dorovitch Pathology (who also handle the AFL's illicit drugs program).
Steve J
Roar Guru
CA sold the rights to the Big Bash final because they thought all the grounds would be in use, but the WACA wasn't and WA got screwed over that. Why didn't CA sell the rights to the Shield Final as well? Are they that incompetent or did no-one bid? Playing the match in Bellerive is a farce, given that it's a last minute decision to appease the Vics for no reason. Hopefully the WACA will take CA to court. Of course if that happens the Vics will smash them and then all this stupidity will be forgotten.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Is it a little contradictory that all season they've been playing under a system conceptually rewarding attacking play, yet you can win the the whole thing by playing for a draw?
Chris
Guest
Yep did really well not exposing a drug cheat maybe that what all sports should do yep don't expose drug cheats keep it secret so don't damage games. Kidding right the AFL is a basket case in terms of their drug policy. The. essendon saga is classic coverup players needed to be banned for lengthy periods to make sure it doesn't happen again. Unless the sport gets serious and adopts a no tolerance approach it will continue to happen. But hey no one else in the world cares . That's the problem when you are directly responsible for the entire sport. No accountability to anyone but themselves.
Steve J
Roar Guru
Unusual circumstance is that they only have 2 grounds in the state they can play cricket on, and ones booked (has been for a looooong time) and the other is being re-developed. I assume that has also been planned for a while, you typically don't show up and start re-developing on a moments notice. So the unusual circumstance is that Victorian Cricket didn't think they were a hope in hell of hosting the final so did nothing to have a ground available to play, just in case, and then cracked it when the current rules stated that the second place team gets to host the game if the first placed team is so incompetent as to not have a ground available. An unusual circumstance would be a cyclone ripping through Melbourne and decimating grounds, not the fact that your staff can't work the calendar in Outlook.
margar
Guest
Just want to say that sports administrators are a law unto themselves and simply allow the dictates of television and the almighty $$$ to influence a change of policy on the run. CA's decision re the Sheffield shield final is almost as bizarre as the AFL's decision during the final series last year instructing Port Adelaide to wear their AWAY strip when it was their HOME game simply because the opposition Richmond did not have a suitable clash strip! Unbelievable! And they continue to hold sway. Is it any wonder that players, officials, administrators and the public have little faith in these organisations? All the best to Crowley, but it seems he is finished.
spruce moose
Guest
There I was thinking that Bellerive Oval was in Tasmania. Silly me. Josh, Victoria by being unable to find a suitable ground in Victoria have waived their right. It should be at the WACA. That being said, I'm for having the final at a neutral venue (considering the 'home' team already has the massive advantage by only needing to draw the game) it's just that they came about to this decision in an entirely farcical manner.
BigAl
Guest
I remember growing up in Tassie, the Bellerive Oval was the home ground of my team - the Clarence Football Club and was used extensively by the TFL for Aussie Rules football. Don't tell me The Mighty Roos have been booted out of there ??? - for cricket ????
josh
Roar Rookie
I don't think Victoria technically waived it's right to host. The Vics said every other ground is use/not suitable. What about Hobart? CA, said, fine. This would still be within the realms of, "The team that finished first on the points table at the conclusion of the preliminary matches shall earn the right to host the final at a suitable first class venue within its state, provided that this venue is acceptable to Cricket Australia." It's a pretty exceptional circumstance. And at the same time, I can't help but think this situation could have been planned for. The CWC has been on the cards for a few years now, and AFL/VFL matches are known about before the end of March. I would have thought each team should have a short-list of 3 available grounds.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
The "earn" is a bit of a rubbery concept here, given the wacky points system as part of the Shield this year. There were a few weird anomalies from that system, like WA being in top position, winning outright, yet still dropping to second.