In a massive morning for sport in Australia, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has found 34 Essendon players, past and present, violated the AFL Doping Code and that “all players were significantly at fault”.
It’s a huge turnaround, after the AFL found the players not guilty of any breach last March. So what has been the reaction?
More:
» Essendon players found guilty, will miss 2016 season
» Essendon doping saga: Full list of players to miss 2016 AFL season
» Read CAS’s statement regarding the Essendon finding
» Potential top-up Bombers: Could Kelly, Stokes or Lake return?
» Hey WADA, you got the wrong man
Within minutes of the announcement, the issue was the top trend on Twitter, with the following hashtags the top five in Australia: #Essendon, Brownlow, #bombers, James Hird, Stephen Dank. Obviously Hird was the Bombers’ coach during the 2011 season when the violations took place, and Dank oversaw the controversial program.
As for Brownlow trending, Essendon captain Jobe Watson won the game’s most prestigious individual honour in 2012, the same year the program was in place at the club. With Watson among the 12 active Essendon players set to miss the coming season, and CAS finding all players “were significantly at fault”, his medal could also be stripped.
Regarding the club’s former coach, most were happy enough just to stick the boot into the man. Although some had a bit more subtlety than others.
Of course, there was no shortage of jokes at the Bombers’ expense.
But others were far more sympathetic, particularly for the club’s long-suffering fans.
The AFL have simply acknowledged the finding, with more to come later today.
Peter Z
Guest
@Darrenwheels pretty sure that smokes not pluming from windy hill. What it's doin, though, is blocking out the mushroom cloud that is! Funny mate
WhereIsGene
Guest
FOR GREAT JUSTICE!!!!!
jacques of lilydale
Guest
3 years too late Mike, the EFC should have terminated Hird's tenure at the club immediately, also Mark Thompson, Bruce Reid and others that were aware of what was going on. The self serving obfuscation of the truth by all their media partners, the AFL themselves, former players and coaches has seriously dented the reputaion of a once great football code. This was never ever going to go away and today's decision has MAJOR ramifications for the integrity of the AFL competition. How on earth's name the AFL Tribunal found those stupid players not guilty is beyond me, and the ramifications of that self interested flawed logic is yet to play out also. Justice is finally served, but the rmaifications will be on going. How can players sue the club when they were stupid enough to have unknown!!! substances in their bodies, off site!! They should be charged with negligence and stupidity. Goodbye Essendon, as a corporate entity you're shot,
Franko
Guest
James "El Chapo" Hird is my favorite, well played Sir.
Mike from Tari
Guest
Justice is finally served, if De Stoop reckons people are disrespectful querying the AFL Tribunals decision, I would say to him that people are entitled to their opinion because now that CAS has ruled them guilty then the AFL Tribunal were wrong,