Jump to content

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

Featured Replies

I don't think Saad is a reliable precedent because didn't Saad get suspended for importation of a banned substance.

No he didn't. That player was Wade Lees who did unwittingly import a banned supplement.

And I think Demonland is the last place to warn others about reality!

Actually, there's an good amount of comment on this particular thread that's more informed and I suspect closer to the mark than some of the drivel you read in the written media.

 

Given the form that ASADA have shown in respect of the NRL, I would suspect that they would accept the 12 months backdated.

I don't think Saad is a reliable precedent because didn't Saad get suspended for importation of a banned substance. Whether he took it is neither here nor there. Under the law if you import you are assumed to have consumed.

??Saad consumed the product on game day.

The Ess players didn't import Thymosin. Not sure of your point?

??Saad consumed the product on game day.

The Ess players didn't import Thymosin. Not sure of your point?

Clarify this for me please. Didn't Saad essentially consume "lolly water" but simply did so on the wrong day of the week?

 

Saad was treated quite unjustly, presumably because he had no powerful defenders, and perhaps in order to set an example. A warning shot across the bows for everyone else thinking of using anything stronger than Weeties. Doesn't seem like Essendon were deterred.

Saad was treated quite unjustly, presumably because he had no powerful defenders, and perhaps in order to set an example. A warning shot across the bows for everyone else thinking of using anything stronger than Weeties. Doesn't seem like Essendon were deterred.

And doesn't seem like the NRL and AFL players involved in this will be given the same type is punishments either.


it is often stated that thymodulin is a "good" version of thymosin (as opposed to thymosin beta4)

a quick google search (by no means thorough) didn't show that thymodulin was a thymosin

so, is thymodulin a "good' flavour of thymosin or is this just another red herring because the names sound alike?

From my research:

It's actually Thymomodulin and belongs to the Thymosin alpha 'family'. Thymosin alpha regulates the immune system. Thymosin alpha is not banned.

Thymomodulin is prescribed for infants to increase their immune system but only if it is deficient.

Thymosin beta 4 (TB4) is banned under the S2 category Growth Factors and Related Substances.

Like Thymomodulin, TB4 regulates the immune system. but it also appears to aid in tissue regeneration, hance it is a PED.

Thymosin (alpha and beta) occurs naturally and there is no test that can detect elevated levels.

Richard Ings reported that no athlete worldwide was banned in 2012-13 for the use of TB4.

Why I reckon Dank injected TB4 and not Thymomodulin as he reportedly told the ACC:

  • Dank sourced his PEDs through Charter and the Chinese supplier Vincent Xu said he only ever supplied Charter with TB4
  • Charter forwarded a text message to Dank stating "Which peptides do you need (compounded) next?" In his reply Dank requested Thymosin Beta 4.
  • Dank told Nick McKenzie that he injected the players with TB4
  • When McKenzie told Dank that TB4 was banned Dank said "that's mindblowing"

IMO ASADA would have a watertight case against Dank (and the players).

ASADA may have a water tight cased against the Dons, but its the AFL [censored] that will be calling out the punishment. Findings from the AFL review will be players were tricked, therefore extenuating circumstances, 6 month suspended or back dated sentence. ASADA will be [censored] as hell and complain.

The key question of interest for me is what is the status of "Jab" Watson's Brownlow? Can he retain it if this banned substances ruling is substantiated? Would the second placegetter become the medalist? The AFL would not want to go into this territory.

A good question considering I had money on Trent Cotchin to win it. I would expect him and Mitchell would be jointly awarded the medal. Not biased at all......

 

ASADA may have a water tight cased against the Dons, but its the AFL [censored] that will be calling out the punishment. Findings from the AFL review will be players were tricked, therefore extenuating circumstances, 6 month suspended or back dated sentence. ASADA will be [censored] as hell and complain.

ASADA will actually be leading this tribunal. The AFL is positioning itself...thats all this is about. It cant keep the nudge nudge winks its given its mates now. It knows the games up and the powers that be will have their pound of flesh.

Yes the AFL will announce the penalty...they will not however construct it.

I don't think Saad is a reliable precedent because didn't Saad get suspended for importation of a banned substance.

No he didn't. That player was Wade Lees who did unwittingly import a banned supplement and received what virtually amounted to a 2 year sanction.

And I think Demonland is the last place to warn others about reality!

Actually, there's an good amount of comment on this particular thread that's more informed and I suspect closer to the mark than some of the drivel you read in the written media.

Saad was treated quite unjustly, presumably because he had no powerful defenders, and perhaps in order to set an example. A warning shot across the bows for everyone else thinking of using anything stronger than Weeties. Doesn't seem like Essendon were deterred.

but de turd think he IS Essendon, and bigger than the AFL or indeed ASADA / WADA

Those watching this as a spectacle of sorts might wish to note this is a unique occurrence in world sport. A whole team hasnt been under the microscope before. Competitors have, within teams, but wholesale skulduggery ?? WADA, let alone ASADA havent had to deal with the scope as presented by Essendon.

If for no other reason than this WADA will want this to go down as they see fit. This is their advertisement to the global sports fraternity to heed, to follow the rules...or else.

Those watching this as a spectacle of sorts might wish to note this is a unique occurrence in world sport. A whole team hasnt been under the microscope before. Competitors have, within teams, but wholesale skulduggery ?? WADA, let alone ASADA havent had to deal with the scope as presented by Essendon.

If for no other reason than this WADA will want this to go down as they see fit. This is their advertisement to the global sports fraternity to heed, to follow the rules...or else.

Agree! The credibility of WADA is on the line here, the Dons had the perfect "cheater template" and it must hammered flat! How many clubs, coaches and players would just love to get on a program with so much upside (drugs that will enhance performance for years) with the risk of only a few months suspension? If the AFL have any foresight at all they should save WADA time and effort and apply the maximum penalties to the players and the club!

Those watching this as a spectacle of sorts might wish to note this is a unique occurrence in world sport. A whole team hasnt been under the microscope before. Competitors have, within teams, but wholesale skulduggery ?? WADA, let alone ASADA havent had to deal with the scope as presented by Essendon.

If for no other reason than this WADA will want this to go down as they see fit. This is their advertisement to the global sports fraternity to heed, to follow the rules...or else.

Actually that's not right. There was a much greater doping scandal in world cycling. The Operacion Puerto scandal which like the Essendon fiasco was caused by one person, Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. Masses of riders from many different teams and even entire teams were suspended. It was way more massive than this case. Have a look at this from Wikipedia if you are interested http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operaci%C3%B3n_Puerto_doping_case

The AFL's integrity is very publicly on the line here as well.

They would be well aware of the impact the Soccer season is having right around the country


stand corrected...

edit

with so many getting off and seemingly only 3 getting pinged it looks like one all mighty stuff up. Even if competitors were suspended no actual bannings seemed to have taken place.

This still strikes me as somewhat unique

Actually that's not right. There was a much greater doping scandal in world cycling. The Operacion Puerto scandal which like the Essendon fiasco was caused by one person, Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. Masses of riders from many different teams and even entire teams were suspended.

No teams were suspended.

Nor were there masses of riders suspended, in reality there were very few - Basso, Ulrich, Scarponi, Valverde, plus a few lesser names ...

Lots of riders implicated, but then even more footballers where surprise surprise, none were even investigated. FIFA etc. etc.!!

The biggest part of the scandal isn't that it was so widespread, but that when it came to light, so little was done. But then again, doping wasn't illegal in Spain at the time either, so hands were tied - which explains why the suspended riders were almost exclusively non-Spanish, primarily Italian. Valverde was picked up through the back door, as he was initially banned from racing in Italy, which then led to him being banned internationally.

Also, the point should be made that a cycling team is very different from a football team. Cyclists on the same team often don't even live in the same country, and usually work with individual coaches, trainers and doctors (a bit like tennis players in that regard) - though teams like Sky are starting to change that with a more structured, organised and integrated approach.

Those watching this as a spectacle of sorts might wish to note this is a unique occurrence in world sport. A whole team hasnt been under the microscope before. Competitors have, within teams, but wholesale skulduggery ?? WADA, let alone ASADA havent had to deal with the scope as presented by Essendon.

Correct.

And something the AFL are no doubt aware of.

Those watching this as a spectacle of sorts might wish to note this is a unique occurrence in world sport. A whole team hasnt been under the microscope before. Competitors have, within teams, but wholesale skulduggery ?? WADA, let alone ASADA havent had to deal with the scope as presented by Essendon.

If for no other reason than this WADA will want this to go down as they see fit. This is their advertisement to the global sports fraternity to heed, to follow the rules...or else.

The AFL's integrity is very publicly on the line here as well.

They would be well aware of the impact the Soccer season is having right around the country

The difference between WADA and the AFL here is that WADA's integrity is not on the line - not unless they make it so. The AFL are just about discredited now, no matter what they do, in many people's eyes. WADA remains WADA, unless they chicken out and tell the world that they are actually toothless in the face of a big player. (Smiling with false teeth?)

AFL - integrity in tatters. WADA - the watchdog, though with credibility there to be destroyed, if they so choose. I'm waiting and watching.

C'mon, self-respect, fellers, please!

(According to Kierkegaard, if you dare, you may lose your footing for a time, but if you don't dare you lose yourself.)


The difference between WADA and the AFL here is that WADA's integrity is not on the line - not unless they make it so. The AFL are just about discredited now, no matter what they do, in many people's eyes. WADA remains WADA, unless they chicken out and tell the world that they are actually toothless in the face of a big player. (Smiling with false teeth?)

AFL - integrity in tatters. WADA - the watchdog, though with credibility there to be destroyed, if they so choose. I'm waiting and watching.

C'mon, self-respect, fellers, please!

(According to Kierkegaard, if you dare, you may lose your footing for a time, but if you don't dare you lose yourself.)

Would that be the man they called Kierkegaard, who just sat there biting the heads off whippets?

No he didn't. That player was Wade Lees who did unwittingly import a banned supplement and received what virtually amounted to a 2 year sanction.

Stand corrected on the Saad/Lees matter. Thanks for the correction.

Actually, there's an good amount of comment on this particular thread that's more informed and I suspect closer to the mark than some of the drivel you read in the written media.

I haven't read the whole 380+ pages of the thread (and I don't intend to either) but I have followed it for the past couple of months. There may have been a kernel of informed comment but it's been drown out by the sanctimonious ambulance chasing that's better suited with Russell Crowe in a Colosseum.

The difference between WADA and the AFL here is that WADA's integrity is not on the line - not unless they make it so. The AFL are just about discredited now, no matter what they do, in many people's eyes. WADA remains WADA, unless they chicken out and tell the world that they are actually toothless in the face of a big player. (Smiling with false teeth?)

AFL - integrity in tatters. WADA - the watchdog, though with credibility there to be destroyed, if they so choose.

I am not sure anyone comes out of this with their integrity intact. WADA won't escape the shortcomings of its representation in Australia via ASADA. They can't escape that they are joined at the hip in the publics eyes.

There is already questions about the leniency of the backdated penalties dealt out to the NRL players.

No matter whatever the AFL/ASADA and WADA do they will be subject to hostility from sections of the general public. There are not any protected species in this matter.

 

Bizarre, certainly in comparison to this:

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/lance-armstrong-banned-from-charity-ride-20141024-11ay5s.html

"Lance Armstrong, who has been banned for life from cycling after admitting to doping violations, can't participate in a South Carolina charity ride this weekend that would have reunited him with former US Postal Service teammates, USA Cycling ruled.
While the third annual Gran Fondo Hincapie in Greenville, South Carolina, on October 26 is not an official race, it constitutes a cycling "activity" that is "authorised" by USA Cycling. As a result, Armstrong can't participate, the organisation said.
The World Anti-Doping Agency's code says a banned athlete can't compete in an authorised competition or activity in "any capacity" during a period of ineligibility."

Sometimes I ponder if Jobe Watson or Lance Franklin for example were as individuals in exactly the same trouble as Ahmed Saad. I find it improbable that they would have received the same punitive action if any at all. Pub and forum rumour would have been the worst they would have to deal with.


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Essendon

    As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie?  Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Essendon

    Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

      • Like
    • 480 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 05

    Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

    • 123 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Geelong

    There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Geelong

    I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 04

    Round 4 kicks off with a blockbuster on Thursday night as traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton clash at the MCG, with the Magpies looking to assert themselves as early-season contenders and the Blues seeking their first win of the season. Saturday opens with Gold Coast hosting Adelaide, a key test for the Suns as they aim to back up their big win last week, while the Crows will be looking to keep their perfect record intact. Reigning wooden spooners Richmond have the daunting task of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the ‘G and the Lions will be eager to reaffirm their premiership credentials after a patchy start. Saturday night sees North Melbourne take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans looking to build on their first win of the season last week against a rebuilding Roos outfit. Sunday’s action begins with GWS hosting West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, a game that could get ugly very early for the visitors. Port Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval looms as a interesting clash, with both clubs form being very hard to read. The round wraps up with Fremantle taking on the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in what could be a fierce contest between two sides with top-eight ambitions. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • Shocked
      • Like
    • 273 replies
    Demonland