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

[mjt 640]

I hope Jack Trengove is going to be ok, nothing been said of Dr Bates if someone of Jacks calibre was rubbed out for a period of time I would have not much faith left in the MFC, imagine being a Bomber supporter and looking at most of your club going down that would be hard to deal with, the EFC would want to have good insurance policy's because there players are going to be filing lawsuits .

[hardtack 11,061]

Honour their contracts and give them a further upgraded contract for when their ban is over even? High unlikely yet they have done so for Brand Hird.

Yes.... but I was thinking more along the lines of the fact that the club took (advantage of?) these kids and involved them in the program, so will they now take responsibility and continue their contracts, or will they try to save a few dollars by washing their hands of them?

[Oneday 248]

Bans to come IMO , Im a little worried about Trenners and the magic cream fiasco , Imagine how the bombers fans feel . The people responsible for this saga at the bombers should be banned for life by the club itself. Claiming they didint know what was given is not an excuse. I would expect no less if it happened at the dees no matter who it was. There are enough good people with integrity in clubland to compensate.

My pop grew up in Moorabin his bro played for the Saints , He always used to say there 'was something in the water' at the saints home.

Finally ! Well there's something in those needles at the shooting gallery!

I must admit these last few days I have also been thinking did Trenners step down from the joint captaincy role to minimise the damage to the MFC if he is does face an infraction notice or further investigation.

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

I suspect/hope Jack will be okay and the AOD advice from ASADA being incomplete will ensure that no players are charged with use of that product. I thnk there will be infractions issued for the use of Thymosin Beta 4 and possibly other drugs to Essendon players.

By by Hirdy, Hirdy by by (Bay City Rollers)

[rjay 25,408]

I must admit these last few days I have also been thinking did Trenners step down from the joint captaincy role to minimise the damage to the MFC if he is does face an infraction notice or further investigation.

I suspect/hope Jack will be okay and the AOD advice from ASADA being incomplete will ensure that no players are charged with use of that product. I thnk there will be infractions issued for the use of Thymosin Beta 4 and possibly other drugs to Essendon players.

By by Hirdy, Hirdy by by (Bay City Rollers)

Who says Trenners used the cream anyway, he was apparently advised it might be good for him. That's a long way from him having or using the stuff.

[jnrmac 20,331]

I think Doc Reid's substantiates that good doctor was fully aware of the serious ramifications of observed practices.

Allegedly the good doctors letter got to Essendon CEO Ian Robson.

Robson was sacked because all this happened on his watch. And the good doctor.....?

Reid had tough choices... Escalate serious issue or resign. He squibbed on both fronts.

You are loose with the truth. Robson offered to resign after the initial press conference. This was rejected. He then offered his resignation after the Ziggy inquiry and it was accepted.

You can read more here. http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2013-05-23/ian-robson-resigns

[Redleg 42,112]

The substantial difference as I am aware and I obviously only know what I have read, between JT and the Bombers, is that JT has never admitted taking the substance only that it was recommended in an SMS. The Bombers have admitted being injected regularly during a season with various known or unknown substances. Other evidence and statements may show what those substances were.

[jnrmac 20,331]

How could they not interview Dank?

They have the powers to do it. It beggars belief.

[Redleg 42,112]

I said at the time that the Judge was apponted to ASADA, that it was probably to help with deciding whether there was enough evidence to lay charges. I am convinced of that now.

To have a Judge review the evidence and then lay charges, makes them a lot stronger than if some inexperienced clerk laid them.

That said, the fact that Dank hasn't been required to give evidence, suggests to me they have enough to make their case.

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

How could they not interview Dank?

They have the powers to do it. It beggars belief.

My guess is that the powder on Dank is being kept dry and the government has bigger goals than just breaches of the WADA code. If he is subject to coercive powers it will be done by the ACC and AFP who will be chasing possible criminal charges agaisnt Dank and his cohorts. The end game is getting these people out of sport and removing them from positions (like pharmacists) where they can access and administer controlled substances.

[CityDee 738]

the Cronulla asada outcomes will be interesting , could have an influence on the Bombers situation if links can be made , Its possible they have enough eveidence without going to Dank from the Cronulla side of things .It seems to be rife in NRL with one player admitting dealing and use recently .

[Sir Why You Little 37,407]

Danks hasn't even been summoned!!

This is all very strange. I still think he should have been the first spoken to....

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I though about this when it was first mentioned that a senior judge had been appointed to oversee ASADA's investigation and in the end I concluded that a "whitewash" involving the sweeping of both cases under the carpet would be so scandalous that it should never be entertained by a government and no judge in his right mind would involve himself in what would effectively be a totally corrupt enterprise. Furthermore, to close the file on this episode without interviewing Dank would simply add to the stench of corruption and scandal. It would almost place our government in the same filthy box as Frank Underwood in House of Cards.

Maybe there is not enough incriminating evidence that specifically links the players, the substances and Dank. If they have not got solid evidence in the form of player substance records then interviewing Danks (who would saying nothing to protect himself) would be a waste of time.

[Whispering_Jack 31,341]

Maybe there is not enough incriminating evidence that specifically links the players, the substances and Dank. If they have not got solid evidence in the form of player substance records then interviewing Danks (who would saying nothing to protect himself) would be a waste of time.

My reading of the ASADA interim report combined with the fact that Dank is said to have been the architect of Essendon's supplements programme, then implemented it (which including the ordering of the supplements), I think you would have to at least interview him. The ACC did!

[jazza 1,323]

My reading of the ASADA interim report combined with the fact that Dank is said to have been the architect of Essendon's supplements programme, then implemented it (which including the ordering of the supplements), I think you would have to at least interview him. The ACC did!

according to bomber thompson he[dank] spoke to the ACC 3times.

[biggestred 5,293]

ASADA would most likely have access to the ACC information, parts of it anyway....

also if youre interviewed by the ACC you then cant speak to any other agencies (as is my understanding)

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

My reading of the ASADA interim report combined with the fact that Dank is said to have been the architect of Essendon's supplements programme, then implemented it (which including the ordering of the supplements), I think you would have to at least interview him. The ACC did!

It depends on what other information ASADA have re the supplements program. There seems an absence of detail on who got or injected what. And getting info from Danks in this situation would have been like squeezing water from a stone.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

You are loose with the truth. Robson offered to resign after the initial press conference. This was rejected. He then offered his resignation after the Ziggy inquiry and it was accepted.

You can read more here. http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2013-05-23/ian-robson-resigns

And you dont understand it! A club that is bent on protecting Hird and acolytes from wrongdoing orchestrates an "independent" review and fingers a person who did not know but should have (Robson) and exonerated those that did know and were responsible for the disaster. Robson dead meat when the inquiry was announced and was served up on its release.

[Whispering_Jack 31,341]

It depends on what other information ASADA have re the supplements program. There seems an absence of detail on who got or injected what. And getting info from Danks in this situation would have been like squeezing water from a stone.

But to suggest that an investigator would not bother interviewing a major player on the basis that you suspect he's a difficult but to crack suggests to me that there's more of a problem with the investigator than the witness. In this case, if Dank isn't interviewed at all and there are no infractions to report, the outcome would smell to high heaven.

[beelzebub 23,392]

Now it just gets bizarre

Controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank to break silence at sportsman’s lunch

This ought to turn the heat up somewhat.

The arrogance of these buggers seems to know no limit.

[jnrmac 20,331]

And you dont understand it! A club that is bent on protecting Hird and acolytes from wrongdoing orchestrates an "independent" review and fingers a person who did not know but should have (Robson) and exonerated those that did know and were responsible for the disaster. Robson dead meat when the inquiry was announced and was served up on its release.

Wow. You must like drinking your own bathwater.

Robson resigned he wasn't sacked. retty simple.

Your post is a classic case of trying to divert attention when someone points out something you said is incorrect. You don't need to respond. Just accept it and move on.

Life is less stressful that way

[jnrmac 20,331]

But to suggest that an investigator would not bother interviewing a major player on the basis that you suspect he's a difficult but to crack suggests to me that there's more of a problem with the investigator than the witness. In this case, if Dank isn't interviewed at all and there are no infractions to report, the outcome would smell to high heaven.

Agreed. If the report said "interviewd Dank and he was unresponsive" that in inself would be telling.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Very curious - the Age reporting it this way - ASADA has completed its probe into the AFL and the NRL, says chief executive.

Although I put forward my theory in this thread a while ago that a circumstantial case could be mounted against Essendon players without Dank's direct evidence I still find it extraordinary that ASADA hasn't sought to exercise its powers to interview him. Nevertheless, it doesn't look good for the Cronulla and Essendon players and we've heard nothing about the claims made about our own players.

Yes ... very curious.

(Robbo's earlier story has definitely been scooped - Controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank to break silence at sportsmans lunch)

I think the players association will be very reluctant for players to be charged; But the Bummers may go thru a trial by media, similar to our recent episode.

[dee-luded 2,959]

It was reported (speculated?) on ABC radio (Canberra) this morning that without Dank's direct evidence, the ASADA Report is weakened to such an extent that nothing will come of it. The term 'whitewash' was used.

IMO thats what ALL the Powers that be Wanted. all along... we can't handle the truth !!! or more to the point, the sponsors can't.

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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/asada-investigation-former-federal-judge-garry-downes-steps-in-to-help-speed-things-up-20140203-31xi9.html#ixzz2uUV6LJNe

ASADA investigation: Former Federal judge Garry Downes steps in to help speed things up

# February 4, 2014

Infraction notices may still be issued against NRL and AFL players while former Federal Court judge Garry Downes is reviewing details of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's 12-month investigation into doping allegations in both codes.

With this week marking the one-year anniversary of the February 7 press conference dubbed ''the darkest day in Australian sport'', the federal government has appointed Downes to help bring the exhaustive but so far inconclusive investigation to a speedier conclusion.

However, beyond an April deadline for Downes to finalise his report, no date has been fixed for the end of the investigation and Fairfax Media was told that ASADA would proceed as normal in its investigations, which have focused heavily on events at Cronulla in 2011 and Essendon in 2012.

Federal Sports Minister Peter Dutton said the appointment of Downes provided additional resources to ASADA and his role was to help decide if charges could be laid.

read further > http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/asada-investigation-former-federal-judge-garry-downes-steps-in-to-help-speed-things-up-20140203-31xi9.html#ixzz2uUV6LJNe

[dee-luded 2,959]

I said at the time that the Judge was appointed to ASADA, that it was probably to help with deciding whether there was enough evidence to lay charges. I am convinced of that now.

To have a Judge review the evidence and then lay charges, makes them a lot stronger than if some inexperienced clerk laid them.

That said, the fact that Dank hasn't been required to give evidence, suggests to me they have enough to make their case.

the political behind the scenes of this controversy is too big for a government to tackle, without self damage from the electorate & the high profile people involved with elite clubs.

I see the judge was annointed well after the federal election.

I can't help but wonder if the powers all about this just want it to go away.

IMO, the learned person incharge, will no doubt advise on how best to minimise any embarrassments for all concerned.