Essendon is back in the headlines – and again for all the wrong reasons.
The club, whose supplements program dominated the headlines throughout 2013, has now been sent a “please explain” by the AFL.
The AFL has asked Essendon whether or not it is still paying suspended senior coach James Hird.
Reports in The Australian claimed Hird was still on the club payroll despite being suspended from coaching for 12 months.
AFL chief executive went on radio after the report was published and ruled it out, saying Essendon had agreed that Hird could not be paid.
“I want to make it very clear, the sanction to James Hird is a 12-month suspension, [and] is a suspension without pay,” Demetriou told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Wednesday.
“It is incorrect that he’s being paid by the Essendon Football Club. He’s not allowed to be paid. I want to make that very clear.
“I have no knowledge of what he’s being paid outside of the Essendon Football Club, but he’s not permitted to be paid by the Essendon Football Club. That is a fact.”
The Australian stands by its report that Hird is continuing to receive a wage from the Bombers.
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It quotes a source close to Hird saying, “James is being paid a salary as pursuant to his contract. A third party cannot interfere with those contractual arrangements.”
In a subsequent statement the AFL conceded that the “Terms of the Deed” that between Hird and the AFL does not specifically ban him from being paid by Essendon during his 12-month suspension.
Yesterday Essendon and Hird refused to rule out any payments, taking a firm “no comment” position.
Demetriou – who is in Adelaide for the Second Ashes Test – said Essendon could be hit with additional sanctions if it is found to be still paying Hird.
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