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Jobe Watson has decided to hand back his 2012 Brownlow Medal in the wake of the Essendon doping scandal, sparing the AFL Commission from having to make a decision on the issue next week.
In a statement released on Friday afternoon, Watson said it was with “mixed emotions” that he was handing back his award for being voted the league’s best and fairest player back in 2012.
“The basis of my decision links back to values,” Watson’s statement read. “Football has always been a part of my life, from being a young boy watching my dad play, to my own ambitions of pursuing a dream to play at an elite level.
“The basic principal behind this prestigious award is to honour the fairest and best. If there is a question in people’s minds as to whether the 2012 award is tainted, the fairest and best thing to do is to give it back and honour the history that has gone before me.”
Watson’s Brownlow has been under question since October, when the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland decided to dismiss the appeal of the ‘Essendon 34’ against the year-long bans handed down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in January for the supplements program administered by the Bombers in 2012.
However, Watson said his decision to hand back the award didn’t change his opinion of the decision made by CAS.
“I want to make it clear that today’s decision does not in any way reflect a change in my personal opinion regarding the merits of the CAS finding, but rather reflects my desire to put to a close further speculation about what should be done with the 2012 Brownlow Medal.”
The AFL announced last month that a meeting of their Commission would be held on Tuesday of next week to decide the future of the award. That meeting will still go ahead as planned, as the Commission must now decide whether to hand the medal to the joint runners-up from 2012 in the Medal count, Sam Mitchell and Trent Cotchin.
Watson said he intends to speak with the AFL about the Brownlow and the doping scandal that tore apart the Essendon club, but he is yet to confirm when that will happen.
“One of the most frustrating elements of this entire process has been my belief that many of the decisions in this matter have been based on perception rather than evidence.
“I would like to share my thoughts with the AFL Commission, however that needs to be at a time and in a forum that is right for me.”
The Bombers’ playing list was gutted by the suspensions handed down by CAS during the 2016 season, with the side forced into fielding an extremely young and inexperienced side.
However, 2017 looks to be a more promising one, with Watson and a host of other suspended players returning to the club to bolster its playing stocks along with the young players who gained a wealth of experience during 2016.
Full statement from Jobe Watson on 2012 Brownlow Medal
Last month the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland dismissed the appeal mounted by lawyers representing my teammates and I. This may represent finality of this matter from a legal perspective, however the reality is that for the players and our families it is something that we will continue to carry with us.The negative impact it has had should not define who we are, however I believe it has undoubtedly changed us in various ways.
It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to hand back my 2012 Brownlow Medal.
It is now up to the AFL Commission at their meeting on Tuesday to make a decision as to what they want to do with it.
The basis of my decision links back to values. Football has always been a part of my life, from being a young boy watching my dad play, to my own ambitions of pursuing a dream to play at an elite level. I have benefited from being brought up in a community where people strive to be the best they can be and bring out the best in others. It has been incredibly distressing for me to have people question my integrity and infer an intention to act against the spirit of the game, a spirit that is intrinsically a part of who I am.
The basic principle behind this prestigious award is to honour the fairest and best. If there is a question in peoples minds as to whether the award is tainted, the fairest and best thing to do is to give it back and honour the history that has gone before me.
I want to make it clear that today’s decision does not in anyway reflect a change in my personal opinion regarding the merits of the CAS finding, but rather reflects my desire to put to a close further speculation about what should be done with the 2012 Brownlow Medal.
One of the most frustrating elements of this entire process has been my belief that many of the decisions in this matter have been based on perception rather than evidence. I would like to share my thoughts with the AFL Commission, however that needs to be at a time and in a forum that is right for me.
Jobe will not be making any further comment, nor will anyone from TLA Worldwide on his behalf.
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