Stick with code, says WADA

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

The one thing that has really hit home over the last week with me is the toll it is taking on those concerned.

I don't think the players were intentionally given something they shouldn't have been but the whole process was flawed.
The AFL needs to push through and provide the answers as soon as is possible.

I think every player at every club needs to demand a full explanation on what supplements they are being given.

There is no doubt in my mind that many parents of prospective AFL players will now try and encourage them to play another sport. Long term impacts could be huge.

It looks like this will be heading to court with Essendon challenging everything.

I think most athletes at professional level are exposed to this new world of high performance supplements. All top athletes have to negotiate this slippery slope.

I talked to a mate who played for England under 18's and teaches now at Geelong Grammar. Still has a few friends playing in the premier league. In regards to supplements and scandals, the same kinds of regimes go on in IPL all the time, and Rugby has its issues.

I like your idea of the AFL being the 'pharmacy' for all 18 clubs, but if everyone knows what everyone else is taking, the clubs will argue " how can we gain a competitive edge? ".

It looks like the AFL has to invest more money in education and detection. Also, shorten the season, and just play less footy so players have more time to recove

[Throughandthrough]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

Agree with the posts above on McVeigh. It was frustrating to watch, felt like reaching through the television and slapping him across the face.

How about when he denied whether Hird had a phone call whilst in America to Dank? How in the actual hell would McVeigh know if he did or not? His blind bias made me sick.

The only person with any credibility on that show was Stevens, who posed some good questions, and genuinely wasn't sticking/sucking up to Hird.

Agree,Stevens was the best by far. Lingy was interesting too but wss a bit of a fence sitter Darcys input into the panel was biased , I thought

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

Agree,Stevens was the best by far. Lingy was interesting too but wss a bit of a fence sitter Darcys input into the panel was biased , I thought

When Darcy first broke into the media, I thought he provided some unique and honest commentary but he has certainly fallen into the "buddy, buddy" trap.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

When Darcy first broke into the media, I thought he provided some unique and honest commentary but he has certainly fallen into the "buddy, buddy" trap.

Or, he believes in what he says.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

Or, he believes in what he says.

If that's what you want to believe.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

If that's what you want to believe.

Nah, not really, but it should at least be an option eh?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

An interesting thought just occurred to me: if the players wanted to argue that they were unwittingly and unwillingly embroiled in all of this, surely they'd need to show that they were pressured or forced into participating in the program. We've heard the lines already, "In a team culture, you go with the team".

Zaharakis didn't, and he doesn't seem to have been treated any differently or punished in any way. So implying that the players didnt have 100% of the choice in participation doesn't stand up.

[1eyedog]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

If / when Hird goes and the players are banned for two years just watch them turn on the club. It will get pretty nasty before it's all done.

[Doc26]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

If / when Hird goes and the players are banned for two years just watch them turn on the club. It will get pretty nasty before it's all done.

Revelations will continue to come to light as currently listed players are gradually removed from their Hird/EFC cocoon. Reimers won't be the last delisted Bomber to feel aggrieved at being delisted and in 'their eyes' having their AFL career finish prematurely. The media will be feasting on this for some years.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

An interesting thought just occurred to me: if the players wanted to argue that they were unwittingly and unwillingly embroiled in all of this, surely they'd need to show that they were pressured or forced into participating in the program. We've heard the lines already, "In a team culture, you go with the team".

Zaharakis didn't, and he doesn't seem to have been treated any differently or punished in any way. So implying that the players didnt have 100% of the choice in participation doesn't stand up.

Indeed.

But according to McVeigh, it was only because he "doesn't like needles"

[LostDoggy]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

Indeed.

But according to McVeigh, it was only because he "doesn't like needles"

That makes it worse. It was so voluntary a program that a player could opt out merely from a fear of needles (which I share, btw) and nobody bothered him about it?

If it was so unimportant, why do it?

Lots of convenient back turning going on.

[soupman]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

If / when Hird goes and the players are banned for two years just watch them turn on the club. It will get pretty nasty before it's all done.

Surely the players will try to sue for lost earnings. If they do get banned, it pretty much ends the old guys and fringe players careers (Gumby, Fletcher) and takes out two massive development years for their younger players, also severely reducing their earning ability (Carlisle, Heppell).

[LostDoggy]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

If I was ASADA and I was basing a decision on Robinsons evidence the other night I would be finding them not guilty. The only key message I could find beneath the bluff, blunder and slightly manufactured emotion:

- Robinson doesn't like Essendon
- Hird asked for a supplements campaign using cutting edge supplements but not illegal ones
- Dank ran up a $60,000 bill that was unauthorised that included $47,000 of "oxygen therapy" which might be useless (or might be useful) but is not a drug barred by WADA
- Robinson was given the heave-ho as the man in charge of a department that had no oversight on the funds
- Robinson is too stupid to take responsibility
- Hird should probably have been held accountable for the fund issue as well but wasn't which is typical in a scenario where one manager is overly loved and another is not. Stupid but not illegal.
- Hird is probably vainer than we thought and is probably injecting things to look young/fit and has done all his life since his playing days. Pathetic and a bit sad but not illegal.
- The was no proof of the AOD blah blah blah that I could see.

I reckon the Dons are right to feel confident if that's all anyone's got.

I hope I'm wrong as I'd love too see their ruddy club's back broken over ASaaD's knee but I just couldn't see any real substance (ho, ho.....)

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

If I was ASADA and I was basing a decision on Robinsons evidence the other night I would be finding them not guilty. The only key message I could find beneath the bluff, blunder and slightly manufactured emotion:

- Robinson doesn't like Essendon
- Hird asked for a supplements campaign using cutting edge supplements but not illegal ones
- Dank ran up a $60,000 bill that was unauthorised that included $47,000 of "oxygen therapy" which might be useless (or might be useful) but is not a drug barred by WADA
- Robinson was given the heave-ho as the man in charge of a department that had no oversight on the funds
- Robinson is too stupid to take responsibility
- Hird should probably have been held accountable for the fund issue as well but wasn't which is typical in a scenario where one manager is overly loved and another is not. Stupid but not illegal.
- Hird is probably vainer than we thought and is probably injecting things to look young/fit and has done all his life since his playing days. Pathetic and a bit sad but not illegal.
- The was no proof of the AOD blah blah blah that I could see.

I reckon the Dons are right to feel confident if that's all anyone's got.

I hope I'm wrong as I'd love too see their ruddy club's back broken over ASaaD's knee but I just couldn't see any real substance (ho, ho.....)

Agree, Robinson's interview was just a lot of "he said this". He might find that $100,000 evaporates in court fees.

Paul Brukner writes " Why should Essendon players escape sanctions?"

When he lays it out like that, Essendon loathing punter can chill. They will be charged, players and club, and will face suspensions. According to this article, there's no two ways about it.

I feel for the parents; If my son was injected with anti-dementia drugs to improve their decision making on field, I'd be livid. These drugs are for people in their advanced years, who don't usually live long enough to feel the long term effects. I have no idea how Hird can claim he had the best interests of player welfare at heart.

And what of Bomber Thompson? Naive to say the least, if he thinks above is not cheating.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Stick with code, says WADA

I like Peter Brukner's version better than mine

Just didn't see any substance supporting it the other night.