Former AFL chief Wayne Jackson has weighed into speculation surrounding Essendon’s punishment for its supplements regime.
Jackson says Essendon should lose premiership points if players are found to have taken banned drugs through the club’s 2012 supplements program.
“I agree that if a player is found to have tested positive to performance-enhancing drugs, by far the most effective punishment is the loss of premiership points,” Jackson told the Herald Sun.
“The least effective would be a monetary fine because there is much more money around now than there was in the early days and some clubs could afford to pay it or draw on their members to help pay it.”
The issue is set to spill over this week as leaks come from those who have seen the interim Australian Sports Anti Doping Autghority report, given to the AFL last Friday, to Essendon’s board on Saturday and to embattled coach James Hird yesterday.
The Age reported that the ASADA document cites evidence that some Essendon players were given WADA-banned substances AOD9604 and Thymosin Beta 4 under the direction of sports scientist Stephen Dank.
“Multiple sources aware of the contents of the report told Fairfax Media that it detailed the strong faith that Essendon coaching and management staff , including James Hird, placed in Dank and his assurance the program complied with the rules – a claim he maintains.
“ASADA has also found that Essendon staff failed to implement basic governance, management and medical practices to ensure players were not exposed to health and doping risks,” The Age reported.
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“It found that the club failed to follow its own protocols around the use of drugs suggested by Dank. Basic records about what drugs were given to specific players were not kept.”
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou is due back in Australia today after speaking at a sports conference in the USA.
The report’s arrival has focussed speculation on what action will be taken against Essendon and its coaching staff.
The club’s own internal investigations, headed by Dr Ziggy Switkowski, has already found there was a culture of pharmacological experimentation.
James Hird has had to move again to deny he has been asked to stand down as D-Day draws near in the AFL club’s supplements scandal.
Former Adelaide captain Mark Ricciuto claimed on Monday that Hird had been issued an ultimatum to resign by Thursday or “someone else might make the decision for him”.
Ricciuto said he hopes he is wrong, but yesterday was not backing away from his statement, despite Essendon’s denial of the claim as a baseless rumour.
Hird on Tuesday repeated that denial.
“I think if you read the Essendon statement, they’re all untrue,” Hird told reporters at Windy Hill.
Ricciuto told Adelaide’s Triple M radio on Tuesday that he had received the information from someone he regarded as a credible source.
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He said it was not unknown for AFL clubs to deny things that turned out to be true, although he stressed he wasn’t accusing the Bombers of lying.
“They could (be). I’m not saying they are,” Ricciuto said.
“And I’m not saying James is guilty here and I never said that last night.
“Of course that (issuing a denial) is what they’re going to come out and do.
“A lot of people do come out and make statements at times.
“I’m not going to make another statement saying that they’re lying here either.
“But it’s not unusual for them to come out and defend themselves, but time will tell.”
Hird said he hadn’t been shocked or frustrated by Ricciuto’s initial claim, as he had become used to hearing allegations he regarded as false throughout the six-month saga.
“I’m not shocked by anything in this investigation or this process,” he said.
“There seems to be a lot of rumour and innuendo that has no fact to it.”
Carlton coach Mick Malthouse weighed into the hot issue on Tuesday, warning the league against being “wishy-washy” if it decides Essendon should be punished.
The Blues are two games outside the top eight with four rounds left, but will be finals-bound if the AFL decides to strip fifth-placed Essendon of their premiership points as punishment for the scandal.
Malthouse told 3AW that the league must send a strong statement with its decisions about Essendon.
“We will not tolerate this game being put down in any manner or brought back to a certain standard in any manner,” he said.
“That means strong governance at the expense of names, clubs, anything – because then you make a great statement.”
Someone’s head will roll – whether its a rogue sports scientist, a coach or an entire club will soon be known.
– with AAP
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