There is so much politics and misinformation behind this. Robbo's recent effort in the HUN was appalling.

AOD9604 is banned in every form whether injected or applied as part of a compound cream. The fact that it is available commercially or by prescription does not help you if it's on the prohibited substance list unless a specific written exemption has been issued by the TGA. St. Kilda's Ahmed Saad has been banned for taking a commercially available supplement because one of its ingredients are banned if you have it in your system on match days.

Is it on the prohibited substance list? I thought it was some catch all list, don't know what this is but does it specifically list substances or just situations that draw it into that list?

If it's compounded, it can be legally prescribed. But that doesn't change its approval/authorisation status. As such, it remains prohibited under WADA section S0:

"AOD9604 has not been granted approval by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration or any other government health authority in the world to be marketed as a pharmaceutical product."

Ok, so this is why it's on the list?

There is so much politics and misinformation behind this. Robbo's recent effort in the HUN was appalling.

Thanks for raising Robbo's piece. It's a disgrace.

"Twelve months on, it's virtually amounted to sweet FA." - Robbo in Blackest day in Australian sport: No winners at Essendon, while AFL still has plenty to answer for

Sweet FA, really?

I'm guessing that one of the by products of that day is that Essendon won't ever again adopt a supplements programme in that involves thousands of off premises injections of supposedly unknown substances for which players sign waivers referring to them receiving drugs banned by WADA.

The Bombers were handed a $2 million fine, lost draft picks for two years, and had coach James Hird suspended for 12 months.

That's sweet FA too.

There's probably more coming in the future ... and one more thing ... after reading your article Robbo, I reckon that 7 February, 2014 was probably the blackest day in sports journalism at the HUN.

The world anti doping code was instituted to stamp out the drug cheats in sport. Often they go to great lengths to avoid detection and will do their utmost to prevent authorities from exposing them and imposing sanctions.

I wish people would stop blaming the system in cases where you have a football club that by its own admission has no idea what drugs its employees/agents administered to its players and its employees/agents refuse point blank to reveal what happened. Certainly, there may well be deficiencies and/or inefficiency in the way ASADA operates due to poor overall management or insufficient funding but if people have concerns at the slow process then blame the Essendon Football Club and Dank.

Had the Bombers maintained proper control over their own records in the first place then the players would have known their fate long ago.

As to the question of whether the investigation might be "nobbled" by government embedding a judge to come up with a predetermined outcome to help the AFL or Essendon, I would hope that's not the case. We're talking about an eminent jurist with a first class reputation dealing with a situation that is coming under scrutiny from powerful international sporting bodies. A whitewash here would create a horrible precedent for world sport and a scandal for this country's sporting reputation which would, in the end, cost us very dearly.

Agree WJ, but Essendon also despite not knowing what drugs were injected multiple times into their players stomaches, by people off site, away from their medical staff, apparently know and proclaim to the world that the drugs were legal and that they have done nothing wrong.

Just read your last post WJ and you touch on this, sorry if there is duplication by me.

We are going around in circles somewhat.

121 pages, 3025 posts.

I think I;ll wait now to see what officially happens.

We are going around in circles somewhat.

121 pages, 3025 posts.

I think I;ll wait now to see what officially happens.

We may be paddling around in circles, but Robbo is diving to the bottom.

http://www.asada.gov.au/media/organised_crime_and_drugs_in_sport.html

The pace of the investigation has always relied on the level of cooperation from individuals. Refusal to cooperate and misinformation circulating in the public domain have hindered the progress of the investigation at several key stages.

hahahahahah. essendon. "your investigation is taking too long, youre hopeless". Meanwhile they are doing everything they can to delay/obstruct etc etc etc., like a school kid caught doing something they shouldnt.

Only once a final determination has been made by the relevant sport or a Sports Tribunal (and pending any appeals), is ASADA permitted under legislation to publicly disclose information about a violation of the anti-doping rules.

The sensitivity that surrounds allegations of doping can affect the reputation and career of an athlete or support person. It is for this reason ASADA will not discuss the specifics of a case or investigation until its legislation permits.

Here's the full update from the ASADA website (bolding is mine)

Investigation update - February 2014

What changes have happened in sport as a result of the investigation?

The Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) are taking action to strengthen their governance arrangements, policies and guidelines.

The Australian Olympic Committee has strengthened its anti-doping rules to require Australian athletes and officials in Olympic sports to fully cooperate with ASADA.

Netball, cycling and swimming have proactively introduced, or are about to introduce, strengthened anti-doping policies, and other high-profile sports are following suit.

Yachting Australia introduced a requirement of all athletes competing at the 2014 Australian Youth Championships to complete anti-doping education, achieving 100 per cent compliance.

The importance of intelligence-gathering and investigations to anti-doping efforts has been acknowledged with the inclusion of these functions in the recently endorsed 2015 World Anti-Doping Code.

What is the current status of the investigation 12-months on?

ASADAs formal investigation (Operation Cobia) arising from the Australian Crime Commissions Project Aperio has entered its twelfth month.

Operation Cobia is a complex and wide-ranging investigation that has so far involved more than 280 interviews, the review of 120,000 documents and the issuing of disclosure notices to 13 people.

The pace of the investigation has always relied on the level of cooperation from individuals.

Refusal to cooperate and misinformation circulating in the public domain have hindered the progress of the investigation at several key stages.

ASADAs ability to now compel persons to attend an interview and to produce information and documents relevant to an inquiry has helped advance the investigation.

For a number of months ASADA has been issuing disclosure notices to people it considers are important to the investigation. The completion of these interviews will help draw to a close the investigation that started 12-months ago.

What happens once interviews are complete?

For a number of months ASADA has been issuing disclosure notices to people it considers are important to the investigation. The completion of these interviews will help draw to a close the investigation that started 12-months ago.

Australia has a robust process in place to determine if an athlete or support person has committed a possible anti-doping rule violation (ADRV). This process is legislated and at its heart is the notion of procedural fairness.

The process will involve an assessment of the investigations evidence by ASADA, a review by the independent Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel (ADRVP), and a hearing by a Sports Tribunal and/or the Court of Arbitration for Sport. At various points the athlete or support person can proceed to a hearing or waive their right to a hearing, or appeal decisions made by these bodies.

Timeframes for the completion of this process can vary.

Every case is unique and a number of factors can influence the direction and length of a case, including hearings and appeal periods.

Only once a final determination has been made by the relevant sport or a Sports Tribunal (and pending any appeals), is ASADA permitted under legislation to publicly disclose information about a violation of the anti-doping rules.

The sensitivity that surrounds allegations of doping can affect the reputation and career of an athlete or support person. It is for this reason ASADA will not discuss the specifics of a case or investigation until its legislation permits.

Ultimately ASADAs investigation is about protecting player health and welfare, as well as ensuring Australian sport is free of doping. It is about ensuring the health of young people participating in sport and where experimentation with questionable substances does not become the norm.

I think this is tongue in cheek but can't say for sure:-My Essendon Integrity Officer Job Application

I think this is tongue in cheek but can't say for sure:-My Essendon Integrity Officer Job Application

Amusing, but what is really scary is the photo of the team with hands on hearts. I just hope it is a photoshop fiddle, but I fear not. I reckon if Yanks stood on their heads, we'd be doing it pretty soon after.

Its ironic that the Integrity Officer is supposed to oversee the integrity of the medical/supplements program.

Jon Pierik in the Age wrote - "One of the key responsibilities of Essendon's specialist integrity officer, a role the club is filling for the first time, will be to ensure all medical practices are above board."

FMD. Wasnt that Dr Dolittle Reid's role?

Amusing, but what is really scary is the photo of the team with hands on hearts. I just hope it is a photoshop fiddle, but I fear not. I reckon if Yanks stood on their heads, we'd be doing it pretty soon after.

Maybe they're losing their sponsor, didn't have the skills for photoshop and simply had to use their hands?

I haven't read this thread for weeks, so I don't know if this has been commented on on. But ! You gotta feel sorry for that poor bastard Saad who drank lolly water on thursday or something when he was only allowed to drink it every other day. A bit like Catholics eating meat on friday.

Its ironic that the Integrity Officer is supposed to oversee the integrity of the medical/supplements program.

Jon Pierik in the Age wrote - "One of the key responsibilities of Essendon's specialist integrity officer, a role the club is filling for the first time, will be to ensure all medical practices are above board."

FMD. Wasnt that Dr Dolittle Reid's role?

Dr Reid is a loyal clubman squeezed and compromised by all this. How could he dare challenge the Hird Reich? I also note that dirty word "integrity" is liberally sprinkled throughout the article. I hope we never have to read or hear that word associated with our club ever again.

Its ironic that the Integrity Officer is supposed to oversee the integrity of the medical/supplements program.

Jon Pierik in the Age wrote - "One of the key responsibilities of Essendon's specialist integrity officer, a role the club is filling for the first time, will be to ensure all medical practices are above board."

FMD. Wasnt that Dr Dolittle Reid's role?

Exactly....sorry forgot that he wrote that email that went a long way to clearing him. If this wasn't so serious one could be forgiven for saying the whole things a joke.

Edited February 9, 201411 yr by Al's Demons

I think I've covered this at least twice before on this thread. WADA has already stated that AOD9604 is prohibited and was, at all material times, prohibited. Under the AFL drug code, it doesn't matter if ASADA told Dank the drug was OK (for which there is no evidence), if Watson took what he has admitted to taking them it's goodbye Jobe.

there is so much 'outside influence' playing here that maybe "its' should be replaced by "should be".

Agree WJ, but Essendon also despite not knowing what drugs were injected multiple times into their players stomaches, by people off site, away from their medical staff, apparently know and proclaim to the world that the drugs were legal and that they have done nothing wrong.

Just read your last post WJ and you touch on this, sorry if there is duplication by me.

That sounds awfully like Shorten (I think, may have been another former backer) saying that he didn't know what Julia said, but he totally agreed with what she said.

A bet both ways.

According to The Age this morning it looks like Mr Little is realising that slavish kowtowing to "Team Hird " may not be in the best interest of his club. It also appears now he may be the next propaganda target of said team.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

Laughed myself stupid over the Age article this morning (Little 'undermined' Hird)

It appears that delusional self obsessed former icon of the game is taking aim at Little now. This will end up in court. I wonder as this year progresses how much Little will come to regret Hirds 3 year deal. If Thompson does well and wants to stay the Bombers will implode.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

Funniest thing I have read in months.

Starting to eat themselves now.

Tuck in

Hanke, Hird's PR man, has said a few interesting things indeed. Does he still represent brand Hird and if so was this a sanctioned comment from brand Hird?

Whats the difference between Schappele Corby and James Hird? Any idea?

Hanke, Hird's PR man, has said a few interesting things indeed. Does he still represent brand Hird and if so was this a sanctioned comment from brand Hird?

Does it matter? He is clearly talking up his exalted client. While I would be normally dismissive of the PR comments, his comments on Little are interesting.

Little coming to blind defence of Hird six months ago was completely destructive to EFLs relationship with the AFL. The bizarre militancy that he waged has made this matter far far worse than it should have been. His efforts to introduce a more professional governance fraework is a positive but I cannot see how they can be effective when he Hird, Reid, Thompson and Little remain.

Littles comments about Hird coming back a better person should be due cause that he should mot be coming back at all such is the fallout from this debacle.

And for his part Little should go asap in order for the Club to rebuild relationships and trust with the AFL and the general football public. His oosition as Chairman and CEO is inappropriate going forward. The first lesson EFC should have but have not learnt is that the Club is buggwe than just one person

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

Laughed myself stupid over the Age article this morning (Little 'undermined' Hird)

It appears that delusional self obsessed former icon of the game is taking aim at Little now. This will end up in court. I wonder as this year progresses how much Little will come to regret Hirds 3 year deal. If Thompson does well and wants to stay the Bombers will implode.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

Funniest thing I have read in months.

I'm wondering if James realizes that a 2 time premiership coach is doing his job this year and if he starts taking pot shots at his employer during his leave of absence then he might not have a job to come back to? The sense of entitlement this bloke is showing is stomach turning.

Whats the difference between Schappele Corby and James Hird? Any idea?

Corby was carrying a sack of shite that was actually worth something?