ASADA is refusing to be drawn on James Hird’s claim that crucial records were handed over to their investigators.
On Tuesday, the coach said that a spreadsheet listing which substances had been administered to 34 past and present players involved in the 2012 supplements program had previously been turned over to ASADA.
Hird made the claim just hours after the World Anti-Doping Agency announced it would appeal the AFL anti-doping tribunal’s verdict which cleared the players.
“I’ve seen a spreadsheet of players with thymomodulin written across the top, which was given to (then chief executive) Ian Robson, which was then given to the ASADA investigators,” Hird told FoxFooty’s AFL 360.
“So it’s not Essendon who has destroyed anything – that was given to the ASADA investigators.”
Thymomodulin is not a banned substance, with the joint AFL-ASADA investigation into the club’s controversial supplements program centred on whether thymosin beta-4, which is banned, had been given to players.
When contacted for a response on Wednesday, an ASADA spokesman issued a one-line statement:
“ASADA CEO Ben McDevitt stands by his previous comments regarding the deplorable lack of records in this matter.”
McDevitt has previously declared his belief that there is no way of knowing what was actually given to the players as part of the program he labelled an “injections regime”.
Essendon was sanctioned heavily by the AFL in 2013 for their poor governance practices in overseeing the supplements program.
Former senior assistant coach Mark Thompson vouched for the existence of the spreadsheet.
“Mine was on an A3 (piece of paper),” Thompson told FoxFooty.
“It was an Excel spreadsheet. I don’t know where it was given but I’ve seen it.
“I assume they (ASADA) took all the paperwork.”
Robson, who resigned over his role in the scandal, couldn’t specifically back Hird’s claim of the existence of such a record.
“I’m not going to be drawn on any one specific document,” Robson told SEN Radio on Wednesday.
“If you go back and look closely … I think we’re talking north of 3000 documents.
“Every single document that the club had was handed over.
“On the specific point that James was referencing I’m happy to be very clear that every document – every document – that the club had, whether they be emails in electronic form or hard copy documents, everything was handed over to the AFL-ASADA joint investigation because we were fully cooperating.”
Despite ASADA’s assertions, Hird remains adamant no banned substances were injected into his players and is confident they’ll be cleared when WADA’s appeal is heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“People at the Essendon football club believe they didn’t take thymosin beta-4 and are very confident they didn’t,” he said.
“We know what happened, we know the players are innocent, we know they haven’t done anything wrong and we know that the players will get found innocent again.”
cm
Guest
My grandmother once sent a photo as an attachment via email and kindly requested that I send it back to her once I had seen it.
Mikey
Guest
Brilliant Nicko! Your piece was both funny and sad at the same time.
Mikey
Guest
rtp - yes it is all a giant comspiracy from the media. AFL & ASADA to bring down Hird & the EFC. That makes a lot of sense. Gerard Wheateley summed it up perfectly in his response to Hird when he said something along the lines of "If you did know what was given to the players add had kept the records, then none of this would have happened" Hird's response was to throw up another conspiracy implying that ASADA had destroyed the evidence with his ludicrous spreadsheet claim. Even the club's CEO didn't support him on that - although he did a good job of trying to answer the question without making Hird look like a complete fool. The CEO acknowledged - a digital COPY of the spreadsheet was given to ASADA (which implied the EFC still had a copy/originals. He certainly didn't suggest they didn't have a copy) - the spreadsheet was lacking in verifiable detail -although he couldn't be specific because it had been a long time since he had seen it.
Bruce
Guest
Hird has gone past delusional - the bloke is outright MAD. Someone should put a straitjacket on him and cart him away for the benefit of everyone involved in this absurdity.
rtp
Guest
I will take that as a "no I don't have said quote".
Penster
Guest
Excellent. Put it to music and that is a ballad worthy of a Meatloaf performance at the grand final.
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Guest
Wow. Ignorance must be such bliss.
Nicko
Guest
Interviewer: James, football has become a very scientific game Hird: you wouldn't believe the amount of records that we need to keep: BP; number of kilometres they run; how much water they consume; what they eat....we have records of their every waking moment Interviewer: Does that mean that you keep records of what supplements they keep Hird: Of course... Interviewer: So you can tell us what the players were injected with Hird: We gave all those records to ASADA Interviewer: But they reckon they don't have them Hird: Thats because they are out to get me...ah, us Interviewer: So you have a copy of the spreadsheet Hird: Copy?, ah, nah, it was erased Interviewer: You mean erased, by accident? Hird: Yep, that right Interviewer: Well thats ok...a forensic IT person can still retrieve it from the hard disk Hird: Really? ah, ah...actually it was erased from the hard disk as well Interviewer: You mean by accident Hird: Ah, sort of Interviewer: How come Switkowski found that no records were found? Hird: Thats because everyone is trying to get me, ah us Interviewer: But your President; Paul Little says that the Club doesn't know what was injected into the players Hird: Thats because he hasn't seen the spreadsheet Interviewer: The one that was erased Hird: Correct Interviewer: So the Club erased the document that could prove that they did nothing wrong? Hird: I told you, they are all trying to get me, ah us Interviewer: Why would "they" be trying to get you Hird: They are all jealous of my good looks and luxuriant hair Interviewer: Thanks James
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
I mean clearly - Bomber and Hird have both seen this document. WHERE THE HEL IS THE BACKUP? What institution does not keep a backup of all records they have? Especially when you are being investigated over drug use and therefore, if you are innocent, want to keep copies of all documents that prove your innocence? Ludicrous.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
A lot of questions on the old debacle again...
Stephen
Guest
Gotta wonder about communications at Essendon FC. Remember Dr Reid's letter of concern that no one ever got? No one in their right mind would hand over the evidence without a receipt and being allowed to keep a copy......Bomber : " My copy was A 3"..... What happened to your copy Bomber? Surely if Bomber had a copy, Hirdy would have a copy!
WhereIsGene
Guest
Apparently Essendon had an electronic file which cleared the players of all wrongdoing and would've prevented them enduring two years of speculation, innuendo, anguish and uncertainty.... so they sent ASADA a copy then destroyed their only remaining version without ever making a backup, printing it, or sending a copy to the AFL or media outlets. At least the story mentions evidence being destroyed so there's *some* truth to James' tale.
rtp
Guest
Could you please provide the direct quote from Paul Little or Hird etc along the lines of "we have no idea and absolutely no records of anything that the players might or might not have taken it is all a complete mystery to us"? Or would it be fair to say you are conflating the fantasies and wild speculations of journalists to what Essendon actually said because you aren't smart enough to tell the difference?
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Wait, what? For how long now have we been hearing from EFC that there were no records of what was injected, so how could anyone know what the stuff was. This of course when it was up to ASADA to prove what it was. Now the very day the shoe goes on the other foot and EFC may have to prove what it was, as the 'I dont know' defence is no longer plausible and it wont be the AFL making the judgments, it turns out records were kept and handed over to ASADA who has obviously destroyed them. So in broad strokes the EFC felt compelled (warned) to self report its regime, ASADA felt compelled to investigate it, the AFL felt compelled to hand out some form of penalty about it, a bunch of people get sacked over it, reputations destroyed and untold millions spent, and it all turns out it was completely legal, documented and above board. ASADA are just big meanies who are picking on Essendon. Who actually believes this rubbish.