Essendon set to face 'several' charges from ASADA, says John Fahey Read more: http:/

[bornadog]

Emma Quayle (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/essendon-set-to-face-several-charges-from-asada-says-john-fahey-20131213-2zc1v.html)

Essendon is likely to face "several" anti-doping charges for its controversial supplements program, according to outgoing World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey.

In an interview with the Australian Financial Review, Fahey expressed anger that Essendon had not been examined by WorkSafe Victoria for the program that saw the club fined $2 million by the AFL and senior coach James Hird suspended for 12 months.

While the AFL has received no information that Essendon players would be issued with infraction notices, the ASADA investigation is ongoing.
“I expect there will be several charges by ASADA. It's only a matter of when," said Fahey, who finishes as WADA boss at the end of this month.

“I've always prided myself that Australians played tough but fair. And then it was 'hang on, now we're cheating'.”

Fahey told the AFR it was disgraceful the way "the club has locked arms around itself and said we'll fix this" and questioned why WorkSafe Victoria had taken no action against the club. He said he also expected charges to be laid against NRL players.
“Where is WorkSafe Victoria in all of this? How can James Hird be at the helm of the club as the head coach when 4000-plus injections have been given to playing staff, none of which anybody can tell us what it was, most of which we know is not approved for human consumption, and put at risk these kids, and not have WorkSafe Victoria banging on their door that this is an unsafe workplace?" he said.

"Nothing's been done there – that's the sacred cow AFL is. It's disgraceful that WorkSafe haven't been in there tipping it on its head.”

“No sports minister or sports official I've met anywhere in the world wants to have their athletes in the headlines for the wrong reasons. The first thing they say to you is 'how can we fix this?' "They'll give you all the support you want and tell you why it's so important to fight drugs in sport as long as it's not their sport.

"When their sport gets caught with it, they want to make it go away. If they can cover it up, they will.”

[Twodogs]

I wish they'd get around to doing it then.

[LostDoggy]

I wish they'd get around to doing it then.

They had Saad to worry about first. Most important - then least important. :rolleyes:

[bulldogtragic]

They had Saad to worry about first. Most important - then least important. :rolleyes:
Then the club that didn't put ASADA on the group fax of players going overseas with the media. That was second.

[Ghost Dog]

Good question - why hasn't Worksafe stepped in? Any guesses? In my experience, they are bloody hopeless.

[bulldogtragic]

Good question - why hasn't Worksafe stepped in? Any guesses? In my experience, they are bloody hopeless.
They're tied up. When I was at Moorabbin police HQ, a 'lady' who referred to herself as the 'work safe bitch' said she find a way to fine Vic Pol. Our desks were within (I think it was) 1.1 metres of the front opening filing cabinets (unless they are left open....) . So we got fined for not having enough clear space for members to walk between furniture safely, and the whole office of 50 officers had to be completely rearranged to make all the desks be 'safe' of not opening to any other pieces of furniture. So we lost some desks and cabinets and our lockers and had corro lockers moved to another space, causing us to share desks with 2 others, ie 3 to a desk, and I had to file my stuff in my changing locker and take uniform equipment home as we had no space there either. X 50 people.

Seriously because a gap between a fully opened filing cabinet door left open (IN THEORY) takes into the ergonomic space for safetyness between the walking passage between a desk and filing cabinet left open, encroaching into well over 1 metre of 'safe' space...

But shove unknown drugs into kids and it's different.

Ps. I'm sure there's good people there and this might have been a one off, but I have no regard for any of them from my experience.

[boydogs]

I've hit the walking gap thing before too

[Ghost Dog]

Ps. I'm sure there's good people there and this might have been a one off, but I have no regard for any of them from my experience.

My experience exactly. I worked at a school in the city. We had a student who had a disagreement with a teacher. So she called in worksafe claiming the student was a health risk. I knew this kid, a great lad from Colombia. The teacher on the other hand was an absolute bully.

They came three times and interviewed everyone. In fact, the staff member was using worksafe to bully the staff and the employer. No discretion, absolute waste of time, no intelligence about the way they work.

Meanwhile there were heaps of other issues at the school, but he who knows the paper trail usually wins out.

[jeemak]

Check this out:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/pay-impasse-broken-james-hird-to-be-paid-early-20131213-2zcpv.html

The dispute between the AFL and Essendon over coach James Hird’s pay has been resolved, with Essendon to pay the suspended coach's 2014 contract in full before the end of this year.
In discussions on Friday, the Bombers and the league resolved that the ‘‘implied terms’’ of their settlement deed were that Hird could not be paid by the club for a period of 12 months.
That period will now run from January 1-December 31 next year, with Hird able to return from his ban in September next year.
The AFL had threatened to withhold $100,000 of funding from the club each month until the matter was resolved, and Essendon chairman Paul Little said the situation had been an ‘‘unprecedented one’’ for the club and the AFL to deal with.
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‘‘Whilst it is acknowledged that James Hird’s pay wasn’t dealt with in the formal Deed of Settlement between the Essendon Football Club and the AFL, complex discussions relating to James Hird’s legally enforceable employment contract have continued between the parties. It has been very difficult to have this matter adequately resolved whilst being played out in the public arena,’’ said Little in a statement issued by the club on Friday night.
‘‘To settle this impasse, the Essendon Football Club has resolved that it will pay James Hird in advance to cover the 2014 year consistent with Hird’s employment contract obligations. This also meets the implied terms of the Deed of Settlement. The implied terms of the AFL sanction indicate that James Hird cannot be paid for a 12 month period therefore he will not be paid during the calendar period January 1 – December 31, 2014.’’

‘‘The AFL has accepted the Essendon Football Club’s position that James will not be paid in 2014, and equally the AFL have accepted that the Essendon Football Club has the right to make payments to James Hird in the 2013 year as it sees fit."


Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/pay-impasse-broken-james-hird-to-be-paid-early-20131213-2zcpv.html#ixzz2nLo66ssO

I just cannot believe the level of buffoonery that has gone into this. It's plainly a balls up that should see heads roll.

[Ghost Dog]

What rubbish is this? Nepotism at its best. Boys looking after boys. Technically he won't be paid in 2014. But his Christmas present in 2013 should keep the bills paid in Toorak. Very disappointing. Gutless.

[Topdog]

I'm actually disappointed in myself that I am continually amazed by the "level of buffoonery" (had to copy that - its brilliant) by those in charge of the AFL.

[always right]

I said it in another thread. This is a major cock-up by the AFL and Demetriou should be held to account. This announcement is a face saving exercise that is an embarrassment to the AFL.

Demetriou was dogmatic that the sanctions had forbidden Hird being paid. Some on this board sided with the AFL and claimed Essendon were to blame. The cave-in by the AFL confirms that they have stuffed up. No other way to read this,

[Remi Moses]

What rubbish is this? Nepotism at its best. Boys looking after boys. Technically he won't be paid in 2014. But his Christmas present in 2013 should keep the bills paid in Toorak. Very disappointing. Gutless.

Agree, but the AFL's in a no win situation.
If this went to court Hird would win with a breach of his contract.
Tanya Hird or Tarnia ( how on earth do you get Tarnia out of that spelling)
It's time your husband took responsibility

[Topdog]

Agree, but the AFL's in a no win situation.
If this went to court Hird would win with a breach of his contract.
Tanya Hird or Tarnia ( how on earth do you get Tarnia out of that spelling)
It's time your husband took responsibility

The AFL put themselves into the no win situation though

[ledge]

Next year he will get paid by someone at the club saying he is employed by them to do who knows what and will still be paid by the club. Dead set do they think we are stupid?
Then again how stupid are the Essendon supporters they still say Hird is innocent.

[KT31]

How can a leadership that is so incompetent still be in charge, surely there is someone in the wings who want's to make a challenge and run the AFL.

[always right]

Agree, but the AFL's in a no win situation.
If this went to court Hird would win with a breach of his contract.
Tanya Hird or Tarnia ( how on earth do you get Tarnia out of that spelling)
It's time your husband took responsibility

A situation of the AFL's own creation.
ESSENDON=morally bankrupt
AFL=grossly incompetent

[Bulldog4life]

A situation of the AFL's own creation.
ESSENDON=morally bankrupt
AFL=grossly incompetent

Sums it up for me too.

[Ghost Dog]

Agree, but the AFL's in a no win situation.
If this went to court Hird would win with a breach of his contract.
Tanya Hird or Tarnia ( how on earth do you get Tarnia out of that spelling)
It's time your husband took responsibility

Hird said ultimate responsibility rests with him, but if he's being paid for a year's work, I can't see how he hasn't escaped that responsiblity. I'm a manager. People go crazy with some experimental program on my watch. Oh, here's your year's salary, go study in Singapore for a while. Thanks very much. Huhh? Where's the punishment part? Or accountability?

The AFL are taking the easy way out. Have to agree with Top Dog. .

[bornadog]

Why do we care if he is paid?

If a player is suspended they are still paid?

[Twodogs]

Next year he will get paid by someone at the club saying he is employed by them to do who knows what and will still be paid by the club. Dead set do they think we are stupid?
Then again how stupid are the Essendon supporters they still say Hird is innocent.


Yep. James could drive one of Paul Little's trucks until his suspension is over.

[Remi Moses]

The AFL put themselves into the no win situation though

Not that the AFL did the right thing, but they want to avoid a court challenge.
Any employer would have sacked Hird for what happened.
Fortunately for Hird the cult like love has ensured they wouldn't do it.
Tania Hird has some hide talking about responsibility

[LostDoggy]

Why do we care if he is paid?

If a player is suspended they are still paid?

Because it makes a mockery of the word punishment.

[Ghost Dog]

Why do we care if he is paid?

If a player is suspended they are still paid?

If he is, it basically says coaches have no responsibility for dodgy programs they are fully aware of.

[Flamethrower]

The whole Hird versus Vlad things bores me.

The only thing I am concerned about is whether Stuey Crameri will be amongst the players sanctioned by ASADA when they complete their investigation and hand out 2 year bans.

[bornadog]

Because it makes a mockery of the word punishment.


If he is, it basically says coaches have no responsibility for dodgy programs they are fully aware of.

He was suspended for a year?

Players don't lose wages when they are suspended

[bornadog]

The whole Hird versus Vlad things bores me.

The only thing I am concerned about is whether Stuey Crameri will be amongst the players sanctioned by ASADA when they complete their investigation and hand out 2 year bans.

This ^^^^

[Greystache]

He was suspended for a year?

Players don't lose wages when they are suspended

Players DO lose wages when suspended. Players don't get match payments for games missed while suspended.

[Remi Moses]

The whole Hird versus Vlad things bores me.

The only thing I am concerned about is whether Stuey Crameri will be amongst the players sanctioned by ASADA when they complete their investigation and hand out 2 year bans.

Ditto for me. Just found it rather ironic his wife's rambling on about "brand protection "!
Now Really !!

[jeemak]

This whole saga reminds me of how much of a backwater Australia is, and how much of a pimple on the arse of world sport Aussie Rules is.

[Topdog]

Players DO lose wages when suspended. Players don't get match payments for games missed while suspended.

Exactly. And if they are suspended for drugs they often get sacked.

[Dancin' Douggy]

I'm just praying for the day I wake up in the morning, open the paper, and there it is.

ASADA BRINGS CHARGES AND SUSPENSIONS AGAINST HIRD AND (insert random number) ESSENDON PLAYERS.

So it's not just the inept AFL versus the mind numbingly arrogant and deluded Bombers.

THEY REALLY NEED TO BOUGHT TO THEIR KNEES PROPERLY, SO THIS BLACK MARK NEVER TOUCHES OUR BELOVED SPORT AGAIN.

[Dry Rot]

After we got Crameri, I don't understand the glee of many here waiting for ASADA charges against Bombers players.

[Dancin' Douggy]

It's not Glee Dry Rot.

And of course I hope Crameri isn't one of the players charged.

It's seeing the right thing done for the long term health of the game and all who play it.

I'm just so disgusted in the way Hird is still held up as a hero.
And the AFL just bends twists and distorts justice until it fits in the box they want it to fit in to.

I want to see the bombers dealt with by a higher authority.

[bornadog]

It's not Glee Dry Rot.

And of course I hope Crameri isn't one of the players charged.

It's seeing the right thing done for the long term health of the game and all who play it.

I'm just so disgusted in the way Hird is still held up as a hero.
And the AFL just bends twists and distorts justice until it fits in the box they want it to fit in to.

I want to see the bombers dealt with by a higher authority.

Hird still thinks he has done nothing wrong. :eek:

[Ghost Dog]

He was suspended for a year?

Players don't lose wages when they are suspended

This is NQR on two levels. As others pointed out, players do lose pay when suspended. Secondly, it's a bit like comparing sultanas with watermelons. The idiots in charge trashed the reupation of the AFL across the world, dragged the 2013 season into the mud and have created enormous headaches for players, particularly those that concieved kids in the last two years. Long term health effects? Who knows. The scale of it can't really be compared to a suspension for a high tackle.

[LostDoggy]

This is NQR on two levels. As others pointed out, players do lose pay when suspended. Secondly, it's a bit like comparing sultanas with watermelons. The idiots in charge trashed the reupation of the AFL across the world, dragged the 2013 season into the mud and has created enormous headaches for players, particularly those that concieved kids in the last two years. Long term health effects? Who knows. The scale of it can't really be compared to a suspension for a high tackle.

Brilliant post, and I feel that this sentiment gets to the very heart of the problem: this issue is being dealt with in regards to the commercial interests of the game, the interests of fans, etc. rather than the interest of integrity and honesty.

I hope he doesn't, but if Crameri gets a ban I'll wear it, knowing our sport is just that little bit cleaner.

[Dancin' Douggy]

An article in the Age today says Essendon had ongoing plans to use supplements and drugs well into 2013.

They planned to inject players with an anti dementia drug until grand final day (of course they were presuming they would be in it)

I think they should start injecting their supporters with anti dementia drugs...........

[Ghost Dog]

An article in the Age today says Essendon had ongoing plans to use supplements and drugs well into 2013.

They planned to inject players with an anti dementia drug until grand final day (of course they were presuming they would be in it)

I think they should start injecting their supporters with anti dementia drugs...........

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS-wNCafY_ZuQmRKjEvNxirKSRxI9MPbtpZtiXPxWwy2sj1YMLu

Not that I support it, but they could have at least done some clinical trials on animals first....:D

And incidentally....

http://the-flack.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Essendon.jpg

[FrediKanoute]

Agree, but the AFL's in a no win situation.
If this went to court Hird would win with a breach of his contract.
Tanya Hird or Tarnia ( how on earth do you get Tarnia out of that spelling)
It's time your husband took responsibility

Maybe, maybe not.

For starters, the contract is between Essendon and Hird, not the AFL, so any claim would have to be made by Hird against his employer, not the AFL.

Secondly, Hird has been fined and suspended as a result of breach of AFL rules. There would be clauses in the contract around gross misconduct, damaging the clubs reputation or at the least not doing what you are supposed to do. Essendon could argue that the AFL's guilty finding triggers this.

The BofC is not that clear cut.

[Scraggers]

Hird will be paid in full

The AFL and Essendon FC have completed discussions around the terms of the sanction to senior coach James Hird.

The AFL has accepted the Essendon Football Club’s position that James Hird will not be paid in 2014, and equally the AFL have accepted that the Essendon Football Club has the right to make payments to James Hird in the 2013 year as it sees fit

Both the AFL and the Essendon FC now consider this matter to be concluded.

LINK (http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-12-13/afl-statement-hird-to-be-paid-in-full)

[Twodogs]

That's not farcical at all.

[FrediKanoute]

This is a blatent cover up. Its actually worse than that because they must think tht the general public is stupid.

Paying someone in advance so that they are not paid in the year of sanction may (may not) be techcnially in the rules, but it defies the principle. I can't believe that the AFL is rolling on this one. My gut says that there is way more to this than have been made public and Essendon have somehting on Vlad.

[LostDoggy]

The real evil party here is the gutless fans, for allowing them to do it to their club.

[whythelongface]

After we got Crameri, I don't understand the glee of many here waiting for ASADA charges against Bombers players.

It is not the 'glee' of potential charges against the players (I personally feel for the players that they have got caught up in this whole schamozzle), rather it is the Essendon FC club that I (and I am sure many others) want to see punished for bringing the game into disrepute.

The players themselves will be punished, whether we agree or not, as they have been found in breach of WADA's anti-doping guidelines. Unfortunately the players were caught up in a whole group think mentality where they put themselves in the trust of the club's hierarchy. Ultimately though they could have refused in partaking in this program.