THE DRUG SCANDAL: AFL TRIBUNAL DECIDES

[Dr John Dee 1,057]

I know this has been raised many times, but this para really gets me:

So despite him having evidence that proves the players innocent he has let them be dragged through the dirt for 2 years by not presenting it.

Yet the media still go to that $#^%# for comments.

'Dank has said ...'

Enuff said.

[daisycutter 29,465]

I know this has been raised many times, but this para really gets me:

So despite him having evidence that proves the players innocent he has let them be dragged through the dirt for 2 years by not presenting it.

Yet the media still go to that $#^%# for comments.

why is it labelled "new" evidence? is it freshly manufactured?

edit: your para quote saying "new evidence" didn't show up, refer to #478

Edited April 5, 2015 by daisycutter

[Whispering_Jack 29,379]

Mario Puzo could not have written a better script.

ahem

Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American crime boss during the Prohibition era. He bought off/eliminated any possible witness to his criminal activities, the local police and even the mayor of Chicago William Hale Thompson which meant he was seeming safe from law enforcement. They cheered him at ball games and he was regarded as a "modern-day Robin Hood" for his generous donations to charity but, in the end, it was a different arm of the law - the federal authorities - who got him for tax evasion.

He was sentenced to eleven years in a federal penitentiary and served eight before his release by which time he had become severely incapacitated by syphilitic dementia. He died at the age of 48 after suffering cardiac arrest.

The Bombers might think themselves as "untouchables" but if the anti doping authorities are serious about their mandate to ensure sport is cleaned up then they will use a different jurisdiction - the one in Switzerland through the Court of Arbitration in Sport to get their men.

FOOTNOTE: And it ain't going away any time soon ...

ASADA boss gets support from antidoping agencies around the world

[bing181 9,155]

Beat me to it WJ. Some interesting content in that article:

While the Essendon players did not test positive, there is international concern that the weight of evidence against the AFL players was not sufficient for the sport's tribunal to be "comfortably satisfied" to return a guilty verdict.

The heads of anti-doping agencies in the US, UK, France and Germany have all contacted McDevitt with messages of support, including raising the possibility of appeal.

...

While McDevitt has been under siege from sections of the Australian media, he has received support where it matters most – the current federal sports minister, Sussan Ley, and her predecessor, Peter Dutton.

...

Sports disciplinary tribunals, while well intentioned and qualified generally in criminal law, do not have the CAS-type expertise or experience in dealing with the nuances of increasingly complex sports anti-doping law.

[jnrmac 19,948]

The match stats from the Essendon v Sydney game were an interesting read..

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Ha ha great stuff.

[deefrag 277]

Tim Lane

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/good-guys-win-but-dont-discount-the-evils-of-doping-20150404-1megrg.html

Which is also true of Jobe Watson's 2012 Brownlow Medal. This columnist managed to upset some Essendon folk when, after Watson's admission in June 2013 of having been administered the anti-obesity drug AOD-9604, I wrote that Watson would have to forfeit his prized award. Bearing in mind last Tuesday's tribunal decision, and barring a successful appeal by ASADA or WADA, it's now unlikely this will be required. Apologies have been demanded.

That comment piece was never intended as a moral judgement, merely a logical joining of dots. On April 23, 2013, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had issued a statement making it clear AOD-9604 had been a prohibited substance since 2011. WADA declared the drug "Prohibited in all circumstances." Former ASADA head Richard Ings commented at the time: "My reading … is that the use of AOD-9604 from 2011 onwards would be classified as a doping violation."

However, as we were to learn, contrary information had been conveyed to Essendon on the status of AOD-9604 and, as a result, ASADA didn't pursue an investigation of its use.

But the AFL, as we know, is bound by the WADA code. The point of that column of June 26, 2013, was that a breach of the code would inevitably put a player on the wrong side of the "Fairest" criterion by which the Brownlow Medal is judged. I thus find it difficult to feel apologetic. After all, and however innocently, Watson played in his Brownlow year having been administered what was publicly stipulated as a WADA-banned substance

[The Oracle 130]

If you follow the Tribunal's logic however, that's not a problem because Watson only believes he was administered AOD964 and so does Dank. In their mind, it wouldn't be enough even if the players were charged with its use or attempted use.

[deefrag 277]

If you follow the Tribunal's logic however, that's not a problem because Watson only believes he was administered AOD964 and so does Dank. In their mind, it wouldn't be enough even if the players were charged with its use or attempted use.

True! Plus we would also have to "DNA" Dank and Watson (place blame here: Crick & Watson!) to prove they were indeed who the claimed to be!!

................................................................................................................................................................................................

Today Heraldsun

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/meet-the-millionaire-who-struck-bombers-peace-deal/story-fni0fiyv-1227292301387

A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE Essendon coterie member has emerged as the fixer who brokered a peace deal between the Bombers and a key ASADA witness.

Property developer Mario Salvo, a long-time friend of witness Shane Charter, arranged crucial talks between the biochemist and senior club figures as the AFL tribunal hearing approached.

Charter then turned on ASADA, even briefing Essendon lawyers about what he knew of the ASADA case and adding new material to his version of events.

ASADA ultimately failed to convince an AFL tribunal that 34 current and former Bombers had used a banned drug, in part due to problems with witnesses including Charter.

“I facilitated a meeting between the barristers and (Bombers chief executive) Xavier Campbell and Shane Charter,” Salvo told the Herald Sun.

[SaberFang 7,151]

Guess money can buy innocence after all.

[jazza 1,323]

Hope our fine supporters have written letters of complaint to WADA.

No BS excuses,if your good enough to write about reasons you think they are guilty on here,then get on your bikes and write to WADA.

[Deecisive 1,709]

lol, the more these clowns come out to praise themselves for beating the system the more likely it will be that WADA goes after them. Brokering peace could also be seen as tampering with witnesses.

I cannot see any way in the world that WADA will not go after these clowns and will not go hard on them once they find them guilty using their own system and definitions of proof. The AFL tribunal in finding essendon innocent have set Essendon up for a far harsher penalty from WADA once they find them guilty. .

[jazza 1,323]

lol, the more these clowns come out to praise themselves for beating the system the more likely it will be that WADA goes after them. Brokering peace could also be seen as tampering with witnesses.

I cannot see any way in the world that WADA will not go after these clowns and will not go hard on them once they find them guilty using their own system and definitions of proof. The AFL tribunal in finding essendon innocent have set Essendon up for a far harsher penalty from WADA once they find them guilty. .

I seem to remember some asada person saying that the WADA/american people had looked at the evidence and given it the approval as one of the best cases they had ever seen.

So either the tribunal was corrupted or the top 3 people at WADA are not familiar with the tribunal rules for evidence or are full of chit.

[What 18,810]

Hope our fine supporters have written letters of complaint to WADA.

No BS excuses,if your good enough to write about reasons you think they are guilty on here,then get on your bikes and write to WADA.

Yup

Ive posted the WADA contact page many times, I hope everyones done it.. I know a lot of supporters from other clubs have

So one more time https://www.wada-ama.org/en/contact-us

[Pink Freud 364]

Yup

Ive posted the WADA contact page many times, I hope everyones done it.. I know a lot of supporters from other clubs have

So one more time https://www.wada-ama.org/en/contact-us

You know what? I'm going to do it!

[Macca 16,766]

Mario Puzo could not have written a better script.

ahem

Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American crime boss during the Prohibition era. He bought off/eliminated any possible witness to his criminal activities, the local police and even the mayor of Chicago William Hale Thompson which meant he was seeming safe from law enforcement. They cheered him at ball games and he was regarded as a "modern-day Robin Hood" for his generous donations to charity but, in the end, it was a different arm of the law - the federal authorities - who got him for tax evasion.

He was sentenced to eleven years in a federal penitentiary and served eight before his release by which time he had become severely incapacitated by syphilitic dementia. He died at the age of 48 after suffering cardiac arrest.

The Bombers might think themselves as "untouchables" but if the anti doping authorities are serious about their mandate to ensure sport is cleaned up then they will use a different jurisdiction - the one in Switzerland through the Court of Arbitration in Sport to get their men.

FOOTNOTE: And it ain't going away any time soon ...

ASADA boss gets support from antidoping agencies around the world

The WADA annual budget figure of 15-20 million is a concern. That's shoestring in the whole scheme of things.

Not sure what can be done either - the private sector wouldn't be helping out in a hurry. The IOC money would be limited too you'd imagine so in the end, WADA are relying on Governments around the world for it's funding.

So what would ASADA's funding be? I'm assuming a lot less.- pursuing individuals would be a lot less costly than pursuing a whole organisation (Essendon) And it could be argued that ASADA/WADA are in reality, taking on the AFL.

Essendon received penalties and sanctions for governance issues - those governance issues didn't include having clear possession of PED's did it? Shouldn't they receive extra sanctions from the AFL for being in possession of PED's? (if that can be proven)

Of course, we shouldn't be holding our breath on the AFL taking any further action against Essendon.

As an aside, I heard somewhere that ASADA have handed out 132 show cause notices to Australian athletes in the last 2 years. So if anyone doesn't think we've got a PED problem in this Country, they need to read up on the issue (the problem is, our media aren't the best at informing the public of the true situation)

We need a lot more Roy Masters types.

[Dees2014 2,377]

lol, the more these clowns come out to praise themselves for beating the system the more likely it will be that WADA goes after them. Brokering peace could also be seen as tampering with witnesses.

I cannot see any way in the world that WADA will not go after these clowns and will not go hard on them once they find them guilty using their own system and definitions of proof. The AFL tribunal in finding essendon innocent have set Essendon up for a far harsher penalty from WADA once they find them guilty. .

It is significant that John Coates is chairman of the CAS review panel. He is vehemently anti drugs in sport and has been very critical of the seemingly privileged position that Essendon has been given. I have not doubt that the WADA challenge will happen. They will just need to find their way through the politics, but they have some political heavy weights on their side. John Fahey anyone? Even amazingly Tony Abbott has supported his Sports Minister in the face of Alan Jones self interested attack on her, although given Abbott's past performances, i wouldn't bank on it continuing.

WADA will do what WADA does ie be the ultimate judge on the fairness of drugs in sport. They can have no other judgement but find EFC guilty

[sue 9,071]

True! Plus we would also have to "DNA" Dank and Watson (place blame here: Crick & Watson!) to prove they were indeed who the claimed to be!!

................................................................................................................................................................................................

Today Heraldsun

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/meet-the-millionaire-who-struck-bombers-peace-deal/story-fni0fiyv-1227292301387

A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE Essendon coterie member has emerged as the fixer who brokered a peace deal between the Bombers and a key ASADA witness.

Property developer Mario Salvo, a long-time friend of witness Shane Charter, arranged crucial talks between the biochemist and senior club figures as the AFL tribunal hearing approached.

Charter then turned on ASADA, even briefing Essendon lawyers about what he knew of the ASADA case and adding new material to his version of events.

ASADA ultimately failed to convince an AFL tribunal that 34 current and former Bombers had used a banned drug, in part due to problems with witnesses including Charter.

I facilitated a meeting between the barristers and (Bombers chief executive) Xavier Campbell and Shane Charter, Salvo told the Herald Sun.

Why was a 'peace-deal' needed? But I guess the term 'peace deal' was the work of a sub-editor and not the multi-millionaire. But just going on the direct quotes of Salvo's words, what transparent nonsense. Why was it a problem that Charter & Essendon had not spoken for months? Why should they speak at all? I smell a rat. (And I have a very weak sense of smell usually.)

[deanox 9,791]

I don't understand how any journalist can take the information that a rich Essendon coterie member organised a meeting between the players lawyers and a witness for the prosecution where details of the prosecution case was discussed and the outcome is that the witness subsequently refused to testify and write a positive article.

Surely this is cause to investigate further?

And report on possible corruption?

[sue 9,071]

I don't understand how any journalist can take the information that a rich Essendon coterie member organised a meeting between the players lawyers and a witness for the prosecution where details of the prosecution case was discussed and the outcome is that the witness subsequently refused to testify and write a positive article.

Surely this is cause to investigate further?

And report on possible corruption?

It may not be an offence to suborn a witness to an AFL Tribunal. Legal experts? What about CAS?

[What 18,810]

Just when you think the AFL and Essendon cant stink any more, this story comes out

Unbelievable

[deanox 9,791]

It may not be an offence to suborn a witness to an AFL Tribunal. Legal experts? What about CAS?

Offense or not it is clearly possible corruption and should be reported as such. Not reported like a fan boy.

[beelzebub 23,254]

Offense or not it is clearly possible corruption and should be reported as such. Not reported like a fan boy.

There's so much about this which stinks its hard to know where to start really. This effective 'buying off' of a witness is so dodgy its almost unbelievable ( but do )

Those Bomber lads and charlatans are so cocky right now theyre bound to trip themselves up a bit more before too long.

If they think it was just the AFL against them, they better take a breath, the whole world of decent sports admin and competitiveness is lining up as one to defeat this scrurge.

Pandoras Box has been breached .

Again, he who laughs last dear boys !!

[jnrmac 19,948]

I don't understand how any journalist can take the information that a rich Essendon coterie member organised a meeting between the players lawyers and a witness for the prosecution where details of the prosecution case was discussed and the outcome is that the witness subsequently refused to testify and write a positive article.

Surely this is cause to investigate further?

And report on possible corruption?

I understand the gentleman concerned has spent time in the big house. Very ordinary fellow. I know someone who met him there and ended up owing him money. He passed away and the wife was paid a visit by Mick Gatto.

Charming.

I can imagine Charter having a change of heart about his evidence. EFC must be [censored]-a-hoop getting off on this kind of skullduggery....

[biggestred 4,869]

Witness tampering.

Is there a depth they will not sink to?

[ManDee 7,124]

Witness tampering.

Is there a depth they will not sink to?

I don't think so.

As an aside, I cannot bear to even look at Hird now. I change channel when he is on.