ASADA: Appeal of Tribunal's decision "a very live option"

Mr Football - While passionate I thought his response was reasoned. From what we have seen of the tribunals findings the EFC/Hird have probably come out looking worse - although of course they have tried to put a positive spin on it. If the tribunal had made a finding that whatever that drug was, it definitely wasn't TB4 - then I think McDevitt would have needed to be more measured in his response. But even the players defence did not make a strong case for an alternative drug - they simply argued that ASADA can't prove it was definitely TB4. There is a strong hint of frustration in the tribunal Chaiman's findings and I think it was entirely appropriate for McDevitt to again highlight that this result did not represent vindication for EFC/Hird in any shape or form. .

"The only thing here though is I don’t think at that late point that anyone at Essendon really had any power or control over one S.Dank." A number of people tried to shut it down, including Reid, Bomber, and to some extent the players (wanting consent forms), but they were all shut down by Hird.

No. But my standard of living wouldn't change if the Aus transport safety bureau was shut down. But I like to think that large organisations that wield significant amounts of power are kept on the straight and narrow (especially when billions in TV rights, gambling revenue etc are up for grabs and a lure for the more morally bankrupt among us)

Micka, I think the answer is simple - disband ASADA. That way there is no drug testing and athletes can chose to use performance enhancing drugs if they wish too. Open it up so that the athletes can push themselves to the limit.

ASADA received much more government funding than USADA. At the end of the day, what is the important public service they are delivering? Would our standard of living increase or decrease if they were abolished over night?

Oh Andy where are you? I think the big yellow taxi has taken him away. lol.

I'm a tax payer and a sports fan. I am more than happy to pay for investigations into possible cheating in sports where my other taxpayer money is spent on infrastructure etc etc etc. Your reasoning that ASADA should be funded because they didn't get a guilty result in this case is like saying an Oncologist shouldn't be paid or employed because they couldn't cure cancer.

No. I believe most sports people who are found to have been successfully doping don't show positive tests. If they did, no one would do it.

What a load of rot Mick "The fool had political backing, unlimited resources and endless time yet he and his otherwise unemployable useless public servants produced nothing." Unlimited resources is not a term I would apply to ASADA. Endless time??? About 2 months into the investigation all and sundry "just wanted a resolution" and to "get back to the footy". If you don't think ASADA were under massive and increasing time constraints you are deluded. You basically have shown you have no idea of what was actually involved in the process.

serious question: do/did the tests players take even screen for tb4?

The fool had political backing, unlimited resources and endless time yet he and his otherwise unemployable useless public servants produced nothing. ASADA is simply incompetent and every taxpayer here is paying handsomely for their unproductive existence.

The parts that were emotive and personal. Here's an idea - bring your own bullets rather than asking your intended target to supply them for you.

Agree. The fact no be knows (or will say) what the players were drugged with is the main issue here. If the EFC cult members actually cared about the players and the game they would still demand a complete change in the management at the club. A very bad look for the game.

Casper, so it's all fine EFC jabbed the players and no one knows what with? That is the main problem here.

Gosh there are some really naive EFC supporters on this site. Almost as naive as the players. Who wouldn't want to know what was injected into them? nah bugger the health side of things, as long as we can still play footy - are you kidding! ASADA isn't the enemy here.

Because the AFL tipped them off. I can't believe that some people think that this is a win for the Essendon and the AFL. This to me screams of cover up. I hope none of these young men have any lasting effect of what was put into their body. People can claim this as a victory but I look at it as a loss of integrity and without no integrity, you have no game.

I note that the Cronulla coach is still at Cronulla, and that was after 12 players admitted to using two prohibited substances and copping supensions.. In the EFC case, no use of a prohibited substance has been proven.

Hird got the anti-ageing vanity stuff that would be prohibited for the players - so that was Dank 'networking' is regular practice business onto the coach. Nothing to do with what the players might've been getting.

Your investigation has stunk from the very beginning. You are wrong, now admit that and stop defaming and traumatising these young men. Where's that horrid politician Kate Ellis, where's the apology for tainting all pro athletes with the same black brush?

I didn't care for the game one way or another before this but I think the AFL are now worse than Essendon. I have no respect for the game anymore as they have no regard for player welfare.