Bombers scandal: charged, <redacted> and <infracted>

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

Jeez you're going early Robbie. The waterboarding hasn't even started.

Yeah don't spoil the fun involved with dreaming of Essendon's demise.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Jeez you're going early Robbie. The waterboarding hasn't even started.

It won't stop me from enjoying the [censored] they will have to put up with on the way through though.

[Biffen 12,949]

This is a true story.

Yours truly got several jabs from an Essendon medico as a 17 year old for a "very big " game of school footy.(for a back complaint) and starred.This was 23 years ago.

I played well enough to get asked to play a selection game for the dees.

I got asked to train in a summer torture camp.

I chose to get [censored] instead with my mates.

I was never going to be good enough but I was offered a shot.

Without the shot I would never have gotten the shot which I didn't take.

If that makes sense.

The same DR is not implicated in this but there are some cowboys in sport science.

Though I thank the DR that treated me these science guys are pushing it too far.

Edit (acupuncture and a pain killer shot on game day)

[Range Rover 1,935]

Smithy, we were the most powerful,POWERHOUSE team in the competition for a long period of time through the golden premiership Norm Smith years!

We have suffered horribly since 1964, more horribly than any other team. Regardless of our own management and stuff ups and more than a modicum of tellingly bad luck( Karma)

My view is what goes around comes around and whilst not going overboard about Essendons shocking football department mangement and clear supplemental increments, I say stuff em!! Do the crime do the time and if that means Essendon goes onto its kness SO BE IT!

Exactly. Lady Justice must be blind!

And what's this eternal birthright to being an 'powerhouse' t that this mob supposedly have? Fortunes change, powers come and go. There are no prisoners in an 18-team competition with sides fighting for glory on the dais.

F...k 'em.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

I wonder what Essendons Frequent Flyer Rewards system is.

[Outside fifty 967]

Jose made a post early on which seems to be echoed by a bomberblitz poster;

The substance is NOT prohibited under the WADA code unless it’s used in a certain way (known as an intravenous infusion). I don't think anyone is alleging we have illegally administered the substance to our players - it’s definitely allowed to be injected, subject to certain limitations on the amount and the frequency of the injections. Based on what I've been told, I think we can ignore all the "injecting room scandal" stories.

The problem is that although it’s not banned by WADA, it’s illegal to import, manufacture or purchase this substance in Australia. As such, I think the feeling is that the players may be safe, but the investigation centres on the fact that someone at the club (and I think I have an idea who) may be in some serious trouble for possessing and administering the substance to our players here in Australia. I’m pretty sure this is where the whole “criminal drug gang” angle to this story has come from.

Doing my best Carro impersination (joining dots haphazardly) i'd say Dank has been investigated by the Fed's for possessing and administering the substance in Aus, the bombers caught wind of this and called the press conference to get the WADA involved. This way the players will be cleared as its not a banned substance. You think that Dank and Wepon and perhaps the club will be smashed for breaking the law though.

Technically if the drug was obtained illegally, the use and the possession of the drug is illegal, full stop. Those involved have at a minimum broken a federal law. WADA does consider this to be a prohibited substance if it's not been procured in a lawful manner and applied according to strict medical protocol, the method of administration is irrelevant if the drug was obtained illegally. It's incumbent on the athlete to be fully aware of any substance he or she may have taken. The responsibility lies with the athlete. I feel for the players involved but the law of the commonwealth and WADA's own policy is very clear on such matters.

[syl 40]

[Outside fifty 967]

My gut feeling is they will be cleared because of the borderline nature of the charges and the drugs involved.

There is nothing borderline about the drug involved. HGH is illegal unless prescribed by a medical practitioner for a prescribed treatment for a defined period. Without a prescription it is illegal to possess or administer the drug under Federal law. This isn't some wafer thin AFL policy, it's Federal law. Yes HGH can be purchased over seas but it is still illegal to import, possess and use the drug in Australia without the appropriate medical clearance .Unless each Essendon player has a legitimate prescription for HGH to treat a pre existing condition they have a massive problem. This is not an issue that the AFL can sweep under the carpet or in fact influence the outcome in any manner.

[Crompton's the man 660]

My gut feeling is they will be cleared because of the borderline nature of the charges and the drugs involved.

My gut feeling is that Golden Boy's aura will ward off any evil spirits

( but I was terribly terribly disappointed to see him and others not wearing the correct regalia at the Public Confession of We Are Shocked)

(surely not to prevent such a picture being re-presented in future articles about " Where We Have Come From")

Pure as driven snow in my opinion and a tragic example of collateral damage

[Dee Fan 3,247]

There is nothing borderline about the drug involved. HGH is illegal unless prescribed by a medical practitioner for a prescribed treatment for a defined period. Without a prescription it is illegal to possess or administer the drug under Federal law. This isn't some wafer thin AFL policy, it's Federal law. Yes HGH can be purchased over seas but it is still illegal to import, possess and use the drug in Australia without the appropriate medical clearance .Unless each Essendon player has a legitimate prescription for HGH to treat a pre existing condition they have a massive problem. This is not an issue that the AFL can sweep under the carpet or in fact influence the outcome in any manner.

I bow to your superior knowledge, as I said its only a gut feeling and they've been wrong before.

[CBDees 3,167]

All I can add is that I hope that more AFL Clubs use the same performance-enhancing drug (?) as Essendon did as they were the only Club that we beat last year (discounting Suns & GWS)!

[rpfc 28,968]

O50 - if you are right about the seriousness of even inert peptides being used if they were bought illegally - we are going to have a problem of containment. The game can survive 35 unfortunate bannings of players. It will be immeasurably harder on the game to lose Essendon (or any team) for 2 years.

Suddenly, sponsors leave the game as all are tarnished by association, and the AFL has to surrender approx $50m of the TV deal as they are losing a 9th of the games every weekend.

Edit: Over est. money involved. $1.2b/5 x 1/9

[Guest José Mourinho]

Bovine colostrum would make sense to me.

Anyone remember before one of Geelong's Grand Finals (09?) when Bomba Thompson was in charge, and Max Rooke was struggling to get fit for the match, they sent him to Germany to have calves blood injected into his hamstrings?

At the time, I wondered why the hell he would travel all the way there, when surely someone must be able to perform that procedure here in Australia.

The explanation at the time was that it was experimental and this German doctor was one of few that understood the procedure.

And Jonathon Patton has the same treatment during preseason last year, also leaving the country for it.

Could it be that this treatment, and the calves blood itself is the illegal substance?

That, like Rooke and Patton, there is a loophole allowing players to have it (if they are injured), but it is illegal to purchase and administer here?

- That would see the Essendon players actually absolved of any danger of being charged by ASADA, save for the fact they weren't injured -- explains Evans & Hird being vague about whether it was a prohibited performance-enhancing substance.

- It would explain why the Federal police are involved, and why organised crime would be said to be involved, because the procurement of this substance would be the issue.

- And it shows that Robinson and Dank have past experience with the method, in the way ASADA has intended for it to be ok to use.
Robinson directly from his time at Geelong, and Dank as they 2 spoke almost daily during that time, according to Robinson himself in an interview I read (can't recall where now).

In fact, I'd say the bovine colostrum procedure was obviously discussed while at Essendon with Bruce Reid, who left for GWS and then had Patton put in for the same.
I imagine it was the use as unintended, outside of injury recovery, that had Reid seeing differently.

One thing I really want to know -- are the players using this "Lact-Away", and if not, why??

It worked for Manly, it worked for the Eagles, it worked for Vossy and the Lions, and unless it is now prohibited or there is something better out there, I'd be shocked if the players weren't using it.

*** this is all supposition, but educated supposition from what I've read and heard from sources at other clubs.

[Guest José Mourinho]

So my prediction is:

- Players uncharged

- Sanctions for Dank and Robinson

- Sanctions for the Essendon football club

- Dank to be prosecuted

[Outside fifty 967]

O50 - if you are right about the seriousness of even inert peptides being used if they were bought illegally - we are going to have a problem of containment. The game can survive 35 unfortunate bannings of players. It will be immeasurably harder on the game to lose Essendon (or any team) for 2 years.

Suddenly, sponsors leave the game as all are tarnished by association, and the AFL has to surrender approx $50m of the TV deal as they are losing a 9th of the games every weekend.

Edit: Over est. money involved. $1.2b/5 x 1/9

Your absolutely right rpfc. This whole episode has enormous ramifications. The deafening silence emanating from the AFL hierarchy also has me worried. The AFL is a powerful organisation used too determining outcomes that they can control. For the first time in my memory they are in a position of little or no influence. It would take some serious Machiavellian manouvering to appease both WADA and the AFP in order for Essendon to field a team for 2013 if the rumours are true.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Witchy Wilson's paper weighs in again. Now some convicted dope fiend is linked to Injectiondon.

Club link to drug dealer

[Akum 2,660]

Your absolutely right rpfc. This whole episode has enormous ramifications. The deafening silence emanating from the AFL hierarchy also has me worried. The AFL is a powerful organisation used too determining outcomes that they can control. For the first time in my memory they are in a position of little or no influence. It would take some serious Machiavellian manouvering to appease both WADA and the AFP in order for Essendon to field a team for 2013 if the rumours are true.

Yep, agree. This is an issue that AFL HQ spin can't contain. The PR dept will be burning the midnight oil trying to come up with something a.s.a.p.

And it will get a lot worse once somebody asks how AA responded when Healy raised concerns with him after the Sports Science conference. And whether they had any other early hints - there seems to be a number of things coming out of the woodwork already, one wonders who knew what when. And why the AFL chose to focus on illicit drugs when this much more fundamental drug issue may have been ignored. Their capacity to manage drug use in their sport will come under major scrutiny, and they'd have to be very nervous.

My gut feeling is that this has a long way to go yet, and perhaps a lot more damage to the AFL "image" so precious to Vlad. Whose legacy must now be looking v shaky indeed.

[Macca 17,120]

Witchy Wilson's paper weighs in again. Now some convicted dope fiend is linked to Injectiondon.

Club link to drug dealer

From that article ...

He was arrested by Victorian drug squad detectives in 2004 and found to be in possession of 100,000 pseudoephedrine-based tablets - a precursor chemical used to make speed - in bottles labelled vitamin B supplements.

Mr Charter declined to comment on Wednesday. However, a supporter of Mr Charter's confirmed his association with Essendon and said he had provided the club with ''vitamins''.

Retired player Mark McVeigh said that he had only been given vitamin B and C injections in a sterile environment, believed to be in a house close to Windy Hill, with a registered nurse present.

One of the alleged supplements given to players was bovine colostrum. This contains a growth factor called IGF-1 that is on the banned substances list of the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

[Sir Why You Little 37,342]

Witchy Wilson's paper weighs in again. Now some convicted dope fiend is linked to Injectiondon.

Club link to drug dealer

Bloody hell. Even if its half right here, this is big.

This is beyond AFL rules. Federal Police gear.

[monoccular 17,701]

Bloody hell. Even if its half right here, this is big.

This is beyond AFL rules. Federal Police gear.

Yeah but even now the Witch couldn't resist the tanking dig, could she?

[Sir Why You Little 37,342]

Yeah but even now the Witch couldn't resist the tanking dig, could she?

didn't notice that tbh. Read it twice!

[stinga81 210]

Can sympathise for the folk over at Windy Hill.

Gut feel is they'll get off, Dank and Robinson will be the only casualties. Robson, Thompson and Hird will do there best pleading ignorance face/s over the course of this investigation. One, if not all of them knew what was going on, but alas I don't see any of them getting done.

The purveyor in me is enjoying this heat on the bombers, but its not good for footy.