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

[Cards13 9,117]

All charges against Doc Reid have been dropped... FFS what a sham this all is.

Reported Age website.

[Redleg 41,406]

All charges against Doc Reid have been dropped... FFS what a sham this all is.

Reported Age website.

No big surprize.

With possible lawsuits in the air, Reid could have been backed by his Medical Insurer and they would go all the way to defend him and themselves.

AFL caves, probably with a pay your own costs deal and a give us a great "feel good statement."

[beelzebub 23,382]

More a case of some at the Imperial Battlestar worried about taking the stand

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

No big surprize.

With possible lawsuits in the air, Reid could have been backed by his Medical Insurer and they would go all the way to defend him and themselves.

AFL caves, probably with a pay your own costs deal and a give us a great "feel good statement."

Wasn't Reid's court case about the appropriateness of the AFL to hear the charges?

If so do you think that the conduct of the AFL in this enquiry to date would have been put under scrutiny? Under oath there would be little wriggle room for key players like Vlad.

It might have been a case of saving AFL money and face in this matter.

It does not seem right thar Reid gets off scot free for being asleep at the wheel. He shouldn't be allowed to remain within the Club

[Redleg 41,406]

Wasn't Reid's court case about the appropriateness of the AFL to hear the charges?

If so do you think that the conduct of the AFL in this enquiry to date would have been put under scrutiny? Under oath there would be little wriggle room for key players like Vlad.

It might have been a case of saving AFL money and face in this matter.

It does not seem right thar Reid gets off scot free for being asleep at the wheel. He shouldn't be allowed to remain within the Club

Yes as to Court case, but I believe he also wanted the actual charges knocked out by a Court.

Yes the AFL's conduct would have been examined.

Agree on the money and face saving.

Agree on the result. We have a Doctor of a club, who knew things were amiss, wrote a letter of complaint and then when he got no response, did nothing further, apparently. All the while players under his watch were being injected with unknown substances with unknown side effects. That is simply disgusting. He did not resign or bring it to the AFL's notice then either

Then he completely sides with his club and some of its officials as they attack the AFL and ASADA and keeps working, instead of standing down. He doesn't distance himself from the despicable conduct of the club and some of its officials, since the scandal became public and I don't see any resignation announced either.

Result of all that, he walks free, without any charges being determined. Wonder what the AFL Legal Counsel who charged him thinks about that.

I am further amazed that the AFL didn't simply appoint another body, like a retired judge, to hear his charges.

Not a great look for the AFL or for the good Doctor.

[Whispering_Jack 30,577]

Yes as to Court case, but I believe he also wanted the actual charges knocked out by a Court.

Yes the AFL's conduct would have been examined.

Agree on the money and face saving.

Agree on the result. We have a Doctor of a club, who knew things were amiss, wrote a letter of complaint and then when he got no response, did nothing further, apparently. All the while players under his watch were being injected with unknown substances with unknown side effects. That is simply disgusting. He did not resign or bring it to the AFL's notice then either

Then he completely sides with his club and some of its officials as they attack the AFL and ASADA and keeps working, instead of standing down. He doesn't distance himself from the despicable conduct of the club and some of its officials, since the scandal became public and I don't see any resignation announced either.

Result of all that, he walks free, without any charges being determined. Wonder what the AFL Legal Counsel who charged him thinks about that.

I am further amazed that the AFL didn't simply appoint another body, like a retired judge, to hear his charges.

Not a great look for the AFL or for the good Doctor.

Great look for the legal profession which, as usual, cashes in on situations such as these.

The outcome was always going to be a monty.

[Redleg 41,406]

Great look for the legal profession which, as usual, cashes in on situations such as these.

The outcome was always going to be a monty.

Unfortunately yes, the Lawyers for Reid have won.

BTW don't blame the Lawyers, as without disputes, they would be unemployed, which I actually am today and tomorrow.

[monoccular 17,571]

Doc Reid is a good man - acted in good faith and, allegedly, wrote to Golden Boy expressing his concerns about the programme. Golden Boy claims he never saw the letter and copies have (allegedly) been lost.

Well done Doc for standing up for what you believe is right

Interesting though that he is returning to the Bummers next year. I had thought that he may have had enough of them.

Edited September 18, 2013 by monoccular

[Cards13 9,117]

Doc Reid is a good man - acted in good faith and, allegedly, wrote to Golden Boy expressing his concerns about the programme. Golden Boy claims he never saw the letter and copies have (allegedly) been lost.

Well done Doc for standing up for what you believe is right

Interesting though that he is returning to the Bummers next year. I had thought that he may have had enough of them.

Poor bummers they were just unlucky the dogs ate all of their homework... Otherwise they'd show us by golly they did nothing wrong.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Cards13

[Redleg 41,406]

Yes as to Court case, but I believe he also wanted the actual charges knocked out by a Court.

Yes the AFL's conduct would have been examined.

Agree on the money and face saving.

Agree on the result. We have a Doctor of a club, who knew things were amiss, wrote a letter of complaint and then when he got no response, did nothing further, apparently. All the while players under his watch were being injected with unknown substances with unknown side effects. That is simply disgusting. He did not resign or bring it to the AFL's notice then either

Then he completely sides with his club and some of its officials as they attack the AFL and ASADA and keeps working, instead of standing down. He doesn't distance himself from the despicable conduct of the club and some of its officials, since the scandal became public and I don't see any resignation announced either.

Result of all that, he walks free, without any charges being determined. Wonder what the AFL Legal Counsel who charged him thinks about that.

I am further amazed that the AFL didn't simply appoint another body, like a retired judge, to hear his charges.

Not a great look for the AFL or for the good Doctor.

Looks like Caro completely agrees with me. Her article today could be this post expanded.

[beelzebub 23,382]

Looks like Caro completely agrees with me. Her article today could be this post expanded.

lol gold

[Whispering_Jack 30,577]

Unfortunately yes, the Lawyers for Reid have won.

BTW don't blame the Lawyers, as without disputes, they would be unemployed, which I actually am today and tomorrow.

Sorry. I should have blamed the barristers.

Finest piece of work from Ms. Wilson I've ever read - Reid decision reeks of hunger for closure by AFL. The Martin brouhaha must have caused her to wake up a little.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Looks like Caro completely agrees with me. Her article today could be this post expanded.

I think Wilson has been clear on the issue of culpability and accountability of key EFC people as many of us has been throughout.

It's definitely expedient to the AFLs interest. It beggars belief that Reid walks unscathed for turning a blind eye. At the very least he should be exited from the Club. Knowing Essendon he will get a 2 year extension on his contract.

[beelzebub 23,382]

Sorry. I should have blamed the barristers.

They're the ones that make caffe delicti !!

[Whispering_Jack 30,577]

On reflection, I have a feeling that this settlement agreement between Reid and the AFL could well end up backfiring on Essendon and its players:- Doc Reid charges dropped

Lawyers on behalf of Dr Reid released the following statement on the Essendon website:

"Dr Reid strongly supports the AFL in its fundamental priority of looking after the health and welfare of players. He shares its concern over the serious circumstances which gave rise to the supplements saga at the Essendon Football Club.

"Dr Reid has always had the health of the players as his first priority over his 30 years as a club doctor. However, the failures of governance of the club's 'High Performance Unit' resulted in him being marginalised with information being kept from him by those in control of the program. It is absolutely clear he has always shared the long-standing stance of the AFL that football must have a drug-free culture.

"Dr Reid said: 'I support the stance taken by the AFL and the AFL Medical Officers Association in requiring appropriate governance at club level (particularly in terms of 'sports science'), including a hierarchy of control which ensures a club doctor is the key person with the responsibility within AFL clubs for the health, welfare and safety of the playing group'."

The statement went on to state that Dr Reid will continue as Essendon's Senior Medical Officer, taking leave before returning to the club in January 2014.

"The AFL accepts Dr Reid's position and withdraws all charges against him, without penalty", the statement concludes.

Essendon's response was brief. Its statement reads:

"Essendon Chairman Paul Little welcomed the news that the AFL has withdrawn all charges against Dr Bruce Reid prior to the commencement of any formal legal action between Bruce Reid and the AFL."

This will IMO bury the Essendon players if ASADA issues infraction notices. They are going to find it difficult to put forward any argument about mitigation on the basis that they relied on the club doctor because the club doctor has completely distanced himself from the club's 'High Performance Unit' and not only that but the AFL has accepted Reid's position.

If infraction notices are issued to the Essendon players, the AFL has no option but to suspend them for two years. Their chances of relying on mitigating circumstances is gone and if the AFL hits them with anything less then WADA will appeal the case to the CAS. The Bombers have been hoisted on their own petard (sorry Ricky has nothing to do with this).

[monoccular 17,571]

Sorry. I should have blamed the barristers.

...

They're the ones that make caffe delicti !!

Or maybe the café deceiti ??

[Redleg 41,406]

I think Wilson has been clear on the issue of culpability and accountability of key EFC people as many of us has been throughout.

It's definitely expedient to the AFLs interest. It beggars belief that Reid walks unscathed for turning a blind eye. At the very least he should be exited from the Club. Knowing Essendon he will get a 2 year extension on his contract.

Agree. Apparently he has been reappointed for 2014 already.

Robbo on 360 tonight was livid and he is a Bombers supporter. He couldn't believe that the top medical man at the club now has no culpability for the scandal.

[DemonFrog 1,356]

Looks like Caro completely agrees with me. Her article today could be this post expanded.

Is there something going on between you and Caro?

[Redleg 41,406]

Is there something going on between you and Caro?

You mean, am I the target of Caro's ( cupid ) arrow? That is classified.

[DemonFrog 1,356]

You mean, am I the target of Caro's ( cupid ) arrow? That is classified.

You know the Tiger men can not keep up with her so she wants a real man an Demon man

[Earl Hood 6,101]

Gee I just read Caro's article and saw as nothing more than an AFL sponsored pay back at Reid. He may be culpable but as usual the AFL had stuff all real evidence that would stand up under the intense scrutiny of a court. As usual Vlad didn't like it and has called in their favours from Caro to do the dirt file on the Doctor. Caro owes them for all the leaks from the AFL, e.g. the MFC not tanking case, you know the ashen faces and meetings in the vault that all came straight out of AFL HQ. Caro lives off the scraps thrown out from the AFL and here again she is just a pen for hire. Zero integrity In my mind. Just check Vlad's agenda as you read her articles to understand where she is coming from.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Gee I just read Caro's article and saw as nothing more than an AFL sponsored pay back at Reid. He may be culpable but as usual the AFL had stuff all real evidence that would stand up under the intense scrutiny of a court. As usual Vlad didn't like it and has called in their favours from Caro to do the dirt file on the Doctor. Caro owes them for all the leaks from the AFL, e.g. the MFC not tanking case, you know the ashen faces and meetings in the vault that all came straight out of AFL HQ. Caro lives off the scraps thrown out from the AFL and here again she is just a pen for hire. Zero integrity In my mind. Just check Vlad's agenda as you read her articles to understand where she is coming from.

Thanks and I thought Reid turned a blind eye to a supplements program he documented 18 months as unethical and possibly illegal.

The players should be thanking the good doctor for his support and involvement in the successful program.

If you had read the article Caro had paid out on the AFL and rightly so. Nothing she said on the Doctor had not been said before,

[Whispering_Jack 30,577]

Gee I just read Caro's article and saw as nothing more than an AFL sponsored pay back at Reid. He may be culpable but as usual the AFL had stuff all real evidence that would stand up under the intense scrutiny of a court. As usual Vlad didn't like it and has called in their favours from Caro to do the dirt file on the Doctor. Caro owes them for all the leaks from the AFL, e.g. the MFC not tanking case, you know the ashen faces and meetings in the vault that all came straight out of AFL HQ. Caro lives off the scraps thrown out from the AFL and here again she is just a pen for hire. Zero integrity In my mind. Just check Vlad's agenda as you read her articles to understand where she is coming from.

I've never regarded the ashen faced allegation as having come from the AFL. For someone to claim with any semblance of credibility how Schwab looked as he was leaving his seat at the end of the game that person had to be someone who sat in the same area as the club officials. The same (i.e someone close to the club) can be said about some of the other stories that abounded at the time such as the ones that came out of the Swans game in Canberra.

The most incredible aspect of the media's reaction to today's news came IMO from Gerrard Whateley whose lack of understanding of the status of AOD9604 is becoming monumental.

[Earl Hood 6,101]

Thanks and I thought Reid turned a blind eye to a supplements program he documented 18 months as unethical and possibly illegal.

The players should be thanking the good doctor for his support and involvement in the successful program.

If you had read the article Caro had paid out on the AFL and rightly so. Nothing she said on the Doctor had not been said before,

Hmmm I just re-read Caro's article I stand by my comments. She is writing on behalf of the AFL in my opinion. The charges have been dropped but of course as a result the Doctor's case has not been heard in full so there is still scope to throw some mud about what he should have done. The AFL pulled out of the case because it had jackshyte real evidence on the Doc.

Yes in hindsight we should all be heroes but most people are human and have to operate within organisations, hierarchies, cultures and so on. The Doc seems to have put his concerns in writing expecting they would be taken seriously. I suspect they were not and those involved worked around him once they knew of his concerned. It then took six months to a year for others to realise there was a problem.

[Whispering_Jack 30,577]

... and despite Doc Reid's stroke of good fortune yesterday, this ain't going away ...

Heart tests worried Dons

ASADA ready with lifetime sport bans