The Court for Administration of Sport (CAS) has found 34 Essendon players guilty of taking prohibited substances as part of the club’s 2012 supplements program.
The players are reportedly set to miss the entire 2016 AFL season. Of the 34 players charged, 17 are still in the AFL – 12 at Essendon, and five at other clubs.
More:
» 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?
» Essendon players guilty: Social media reaction
» Hey WADA, you got the wrong man
The 12 players still on the list at Essendon are Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton, Cale Hooker, David Myers, Michael Hurley, Michael Hibberd, Tayte Pears, Tom Bellchambers, Travis Colyer, Dyson Heppell, Ben Howlett and Heath Hocking.
The five players now at other clubs are Jake Carlisle (St Kilda), Angus Monfries and Paddy Ryder (Port Adelaide), Stewart Crameri (Western Bulldogs) and Jake Melksham (Melbourne).
In order to support what remains of their playing list, the AFL announced today that it would allow Essendon to upgrade all rookie-listed players to its senior list, and also to sign ten top-up players for the 2016 season.
The league confirmed that suspended players’ salaries would still be counted in the salary cap, and that players would still be paid their salaries. Essendon will receive an additional salary cap allowance from the AFL in order to sign top-up players.
The other clubs affected by bans will be allowed to upgrade rookies to replace their banned players, as if they were on the long term injury list.
The AFL confirmed that having already sanctioned Essendon for governance breaches in 2013, it would not take any further action against the club despite these new developments.
There is no final decision yet on whether or not Jobe Watson will be allowed to retain the 2012 Brownlow Medal. The AFL commission will meet in February to make a decision on this, and Watson will be invited to address the commission.
Essendon chairman Lindsay Tanner said the club’s position was that they felt CAS’s ruling was incorrect, but recognised that they must accept its authority.
Tanner said he could not speculate on whether or not any banned players would seek to take legal action against the club, or look to appeal their suspensions.
Tanner strongly insisted that the club would not only survive its current trials, but thrive in the future. “We will prevail. We will survive, and we will succeed.”
CAS released a full statement on their website, reading as follows:
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has today issued its decision in the arbitration procedure between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and 34 current and former players of Essendon.
“The appeal filed by WADA against the Australian Football League (AFL) Anti-Doping Tribunal’s decision of 31 March 2015 is upheld and the appealed decision is set aside. The 34 players concerned are sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of two years, commencing on 31 March 2015, with credit given for any individual period of ineligibility already served. Thus, most of the suspensions will come to an end in November 2016.
“The arbitration procedure was conducted by a panel of CAS arbitrators: the Hon. Michael J. Beloff QC, barrister in London, United Kingdom (President), Mr. Romano Subiotto QC, Solicitor-Advocate in Brussels, Belgium, and the Hon. James Spigelman AC QC, barrister in Sydney, Australia and London, United Kingdom.
“The Panel held a hearing with the parties in Sydney, Australia from 16 to 20 November 2015. In its Arbitral Award, the Panel found to its comfortable satisfaction that Clause 11.2 of the 2010 AFL Doping Code (use of a prohibited substance) has been violated and found by a majority that all players were significantly at fault.”
Former Essendon coach James Hird, who lead the club through the 2012 season but resigned his position in 2015, released a short statement in response to the ban.
“I am shocked by this decision. I firmly believe the players do not deserve this finding. They do not deserve to face a twelve-month suspension from the sport. This is a miscarriage of justice for 34 young men.”
Hird also said that he intends to make further comments later in the week.
Milo
Roar Rookie
I think that was TFC's (The Fat Controller's aka Demetriou) stuff up. He was asked on radio whether Hird would get a salary on his 'sabbatical' and said no...without checking his facts. While he may have wanted Hird to go without salary it clearly wasn't a negotiated and agreed part of the settlement, so TFC wore egg on his face. Not for the first time...
Bobbo7
Guest
Very funny
Boban Fett
Guest
Sam Newman is going to be insufferable after this...
Common Sense
Guest
Sport is the winner.
Aransan
Guest
No.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Milo, weren't they actually not supposed to pay Hird and did so in violation of the ruling?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Throw enough sh-t out in public, something is bound to be right eventually.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Not really. If a player is suspended they are just ineligible.
Bruce
Guest
I don't think so Dick. EFC and the AFL tried to manufacture an outcome and nearly succeeded with the AFL tribunal decision. Then the world body came in over the top and slapped them down as they deserved. Thus showing you can be an arrogant, bully in your Melbourne citadel but am only a bit player in the big scheme of world sports.
Milo
Roar Rookie
"They’ve directly contributed to the penalty turning out to be greater than it could have been. They’ve harmed their players – their health and their careers" Absolutely. From what I understand the AFL is acknowledging that they will be paid by the club during this season hence the add on to the TPP for the substitutes. If that means sticking with the club fine, so long as they can show a new beginning and direction. Alternatively if they are throwing a self pity party and arguing and defending then they are being badly advised imo. One would hope that when this initial maelstrom dies down in the next few days they draw breath, common sense kicks in and start talking about new starts. For everyone's sake.
spruce moose
Guest
Doing it once, or doing it 10 times...doping is doping.
spruce moose
Guest
Perry That last sentence is nonsense. People were stunned, STUNNED that the tribunal cleared the players. Irrefutable. If others were stunned by the NRL decision, say for example, WADA...then they certainly didn't show it.
delbeato
Roar Guru
Fair point - sorry I if I misrepresented you. But other than that, my point stands - I have very limited sympathy for EFC. They've directly contributed to the penalty turning out to be greater than it could have been. They've harmed their players - their health and their careers - and are now calling on their players to 'stick with the club'. EFC has virtually no credibility left here. I agree with you that they should take the opportunity to rebuild. But that's not what I'm seeing in the self-pity party they are throwing for themselves in the media today.
Milo
Roar Rookie
Who's defending EFC ??? The point Im trying to make which is clearly missed is that they have been punished both directly and consequentially by the actions of a few (mainly Hird) in 2012. That they are guilty imo is not in question. But there comes a time to acknowledge mistakes and move on for the good of the players (both current and suspended) and the game. Now that this penalty has been handed down it is time for EFC to cop it and move on and start the rebuild.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
lol, that's pretty funny. Funny, because it's mostly true.
delbeato
Roar Guru
Your post and just about all others defending EFC misses the point here. This penalty is a great thing for current and future athletes - particularly AFL players - by sending a strong message that clubs must not treat them like guinea pigs and experiment on them with dangerous substances. Or face dire consequences. One would have hoped such harsh penalties were not needed to drive home what should be a common sense conclusion, but apparently they are. Greed and ambition cloud people's judgment and sometimes the only thing they respond to a brute force reaction. Well, EFC got that. I hope it helps protect future players' health. I don't give a damn if EFC feels sorry for itself.
Maggie
Guest
I didn't know the Hobart Hurricanes played footy.
Milo
Roar Rookie
Thankfully common sense prevails against the marauding mob and the AFL has decided not to take any further action against EFC given the 2013 fine, suspension, limited draft picks and removal from finals. What do people want now? Current players and administrators who weren't there hanged? The club playing against some bush league teams? More fines more suspensions until the club goes bankrupt and we all have to bail them out??? For the fill ins who will be made up from rookies, delisted players and young players not quite making the draft what a great opportunity to shine in the big league and maybe get picked up by an AFL club in the next draft. What a great chance for EFC to accept the umpire's decision and get on with the job of rebuilding support from its players (and their families), members, sponsors and the greater AFL and footballing community. My team's sash is a different colour but I don't wish any further kicks in the guts to this team and its fans. Lets move on.
Pottsy
Guest
Well, hopefully 2016 will be the year that closure will be found on this whole mess, for everyone's sake.
c
Guest
good summary rick what i cannot understand is the about 50% of the afl world at all levels still in denial