Perhaps they would pursue the line that there is enough evidence to support illegal player use of drugs, but not enough evidence to find an individual player guilty. It could be argued that some players were injected with a banned substance, but some were not and the 'innocent' player cannot be expected to be punished for another players crime - which then leads to the question of who were the 'innocent' player(s).

Of course this would then provide a loophole to systemic drug abuse at clubs everywhere - where they take the "firing squad approach" of 4 in 5 players getting the drug injection and one a placebo, without detailing who!

There is a solution to this, ban the club for two years.

Bit early for April 1

Unlike you I am not convinced that they will be penalised. Thankfully WADA is there to take over. In the meantime if the players get off we will have to put up with all the media crap of how badly that they have been hard done by.

It will be interesting to see what rubbish is invented/published over the next few days as a last effort for the propaganda merchants.

I have no real confidence that the tribunal will come nearly close to whats expected as a due result but I cant see for the life of me how the players can get off.

Its too late now..

Bit early for April 1

Unlike you I am not convinced that they will be penalised. Thankfully WADA is there to take over. In the meantime if the players get off we will have to put up with all the media crap of how badly that they have been hard done by.

Unlike you I am not convinced that they will be penalised. Thankfully WADA is there to take over. In the meantime if the players get off we will have to put up with all the media crap of how badly that they have been hard done by.

Ive always been of the view they will be found guilty and penalised appropriately. Ive never been particularly of the view it would be the AFL doing it though.. They have no appetite for it.

I hope if they are cleared WADA takes them to CAS, wins then bans the club as well.

I hope if they are cleared WADA takes them to CAS, wins then bans the club as well.

I think learned people are now thinking that the worst case scenario for Essendon is for the tribunal to hand down a not guilty verdict for the players.

Just my opinion Sir

And who knows they might get suspended.

Hopefully from the nearest flagpole?

I think learned people are now thinking that the worst case scenario for Essendon is for the tribunal to hand down a not guilty verdict for the players.

but its not

a not guilty decision means the players are free to play until a counter decision is handed down by a higher authority. This plays into the hands of the EFC who really are buying time, always have.

What is needed is a guilty decision and even if only a paltry 6 months through some convolution then they are suspended. WADA will get there case heard and dealt with I suspect before any expiry of even a minimal period of suspension

but its not

a not guilty decision means the players are free to play until a counter decision is handed down by a higher authority. This plays into the hands of the EFC who really are buying time, always have.

What is needed is a guilty decision and even if only a paltry 6 months through some convolution then they are suspended. WADA will get there case heard and dealt with I suspect before any expiry of even a minimal period of suspension

You might be right but the Essendon elation will be short lived and even if it takes another 12 mths and the Essendon list get turned over even more, at the end of the day WADA will succeed in suspending players and more importantly will go after the club. Who knows how that will end up.

Surely if Essendrug get into a position where only a very small handful of players end up banned due to cunning list turn over, then WADA will be looking at a club ban- ie the club as a whole is banned and the druggies will be forced to off-load players to other clubs who are still eligible to compete. As per the 2 players found guilty=team suspension thing.

Surely if Essendrug get into a position where only a very small handful of players end up banned due to cunning list turn over, then WADA will be looking at a club ban- ie the club as a whole is banned and the druggies will be forced to off-load players to other clubs who are still eligible to compete. As per the 2 players found guilty=team suspension thing.

It's funny, I've seen multiple posters talk about this, some even posting the except from the WADA code that states it. But I hear nothing about it from the media.

I'm comforted by the WADA chief saying that the code is fine for team sports. Implies to me that they will use the clause you're talking about.

Surely if Essendrug get into a position where only a very small handful of players end up banned due to cunning list turn over, then WADA will be looking at a club ban- ie the club as a whole is banned and the druggies will be forced to off-load players to other clubs who are still eligible to compete. As per the 2 players found guilty=team suspension thing.

Does WADA have that power to ban a club - yes there is the 2 players found guilty thing but, it is one of many options the controlling sporting body (AFL, I think not WADA) can implement. Is there black and white (minimum/maximum) penalties for clubs, like there are for players?

Also Essendon is not only playing for time to turn their list over, but every season a player plays reduces the potential 'loss of earnings' claim that they can make. Some players will lose out because there contract wasn't renewed (meaning no loss of earnings), some will have retired (no loss of earnings), and some will be close to the end of contracts where the payout (e.g. 6mths would be managed)

Surely they can sue for stress and damage to their reputation etc.

If the players escape penalty because they were duped (which I doubt) the question remains who duped them? Surely the club becomes more culpable if the players get off. Therefore any penalty the players avoid should be served by the club.

Surely they can sue for stress and damage to their reputation etc.

I feell stressed having read this forum for months now....

I feell stressed having read this forum for months now....

gee junior glad its not MFC rather than EFC. permanently sedated and placed in institutional care?

If the players escape penalty because they were duped (which I doubt) the question remains who duped them? Surely the club becomes more culpable if the players get off. Therefore any penalty the players avoid should be served by the club.

if the players get off, the club gets off...........i think

there is also dank in these charges. if he gets found guilty this implicates the club i presume

who knows though, the afl could do anything

if the players get off, the club gets off...........i think

there is also dank in these charges. if he gets found guilty this implicates the club i presume

who knows though, the afl could do anything

DC, my question was if they got off because they were duped. Which I would think would lead to more problems for the club as the duper. (Is that a word? You know what I mean).

DC, my question was if they got off because they were duped. Which I would think would lead to more problems for the club as the duper. (Is that a word? You know what I mean).

they can't get off because they were duped

they can be found guilty and get a penalty reduction if "duped", but they are still guilty

if this is the case the club is in trouble.....and presumably later could be issued INs......or the afl negotiate a club penalty (afl preferred method)

The only way the AFL Tribunal can let them off is to find they are not satisfied to their comfortable satisfaction that there is enough evidence that they took TB4. I suspect that such a finding would trigger a WADA appeal to the Court of Arbitration in Sport, thereby prolonging the saga for several months and creating more uncertainty for the players and the competition. Either way, I doubt that it will be over at 2pm next Tuesday.

I feell stressed having read this forum for months now....

Guilty! Guilty! Cmon say it . . . say it!!

The only way the AFL Tribunal can let them off is to find they are not satisfied to their comfortable satisfaction that there is enough evidence that they took TB4. I suspect that such a finding would trigger a WADA appeal to the Court of Arbitration in Sport, thereby prolonging the saga for several months and creating more uncertainty for the players and the competition. Either way, I doubt that it will be over at 2pm next Tuesday.

Then they'll say their not satisfied then. Satisfaction is subjective after all..

Then they'll say their not satisfied then. Satisfaction is subjective after all..

given its the AFLs tribunal id bet London to a brick they've briefed the Tribunal members as to where that bar is set...wink wink nudge nudge !!!

Fairly comprehensive and, for once, balanced article on what went on at Essendon from the HUN.

Nothing new, of course, but still shocking when you read through it all in one place - though even this doesn't touch on Alavi, Charter etc. etc.

Essendon drugs saga: How Stephen Dank ran the controversial supplement program