Finals query over Essendon
Essendon could lose AFL premiership points if they are found guilty of breaching anti-doping rules.
The possibility – confirmed by the AFL late yesterday – alters the finals battle with Essendon a chance to drop out of the top four late in the season. It could also be forced out of the eight.
The Bombers are being investigated by the AFL and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) because of a controversial supplements program at the club last year.
AFL general manager of football operations Mark Evans said that various options will be considered if the Bombers are found guilty following the completion of ASADA’s investigation.
The league hopes ASADA will announce its findings next month.
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“It is certainly within the scope of the (AFL) Commission to do that, but it will be a Commission decision once it has been tabled,” Evans told AFL.com.au’s Access All Areas when asked if Essendon could lose premiership points.
The James Hird-coached Bombers are third this season with a 10-3 record.
Essendon’s internal investigation into governance has already described what was going on at the club in 2012 as a “pharmacologically experimental environment never adequately controlled or challenged”.
The crisis flared again a week ago when Bombers captain Jobe Watson – last year’s Brownlow medallist – admitted he believed he took the banned substance AOD-9604.
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Watson said club medical staff cleared the claimed “anti-obesity” drug.
The sports scientist at the centre of the drug scandal said Watson should not be penalised – and be allowed to retain his Brownlow Medal, according to the Herald Sun.
Stephen Dank, who was sacked in 2012 after being accused of administering supplements to the club, told reporters on Monday that Watson had “done nothing wrong”.
He also expressed disgust at fans’ booing of Watson at Paterson Stadium, according to the newspaper’s front-page story on Tuesday.
“Of course I felt for Jobe,” Dank said.
“He shouldn’t lose his Brownlow Medal . . . it’s ridiculous.”
