f*** off..c***

[dom_105]

This whole "you have 48 hours to come forward" makes me think that ASADA are trying to bluff the players into thinking they have two aces when they really have a 2 and the how to play poker card.

[F111]

Cronulla sack coach, team manager & more. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2fqoi.html

[billyduckworth]

Cronulla sack coach, team manager & more. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2fqoi.html

Isn't this the DANK connection again? Bit of a worry for us I reckon....

[tonysoprano]

I'm worried too. But I still can't figure out why Asada / wada / ACC don't just go "here's the charge, here's our evidence, and here's your two year ban". unless of course it's all rumor, innuendo, outright BS, or players were completely in the dark.

[Windy_Hill]

I'm worried too. But I still can't figure out why Asada / wada / ACC don't just go "here's the charge, here's our evidence, and here's your two year ban". unless of course it's all rumor, innuendo, outright BS, or players were completely in the dark.

exactly

[Jazz_84]

Secret AFL deal to avoid player sanctions fires up NRL boss Dave Smith



THE NRL is reeling from claims the AFL had worked on a secret deal with government agencies which would see it avoid sanctioning players suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs.

NRL boss Dave Smith has been prevented from speaking publicly about the Australian Crime Commission investigation but The Daily Telegraph understands he is livid the AFL was seeking favourable treatment to avoid player suspensions.

Smith met with Prime Minister Julia Gillard in Sydney's west this week and sought reassurances that rugby league was treated in exactly the same way as the AFL in the doping scandal enveloping both sports.

It is understood AFL boss Andrew Demetriou met with drug agency officials and politicians in recent weeks to forge a deal which would see the Essendon players at the centre of the investigation freed from sanctions.

When news of the AFL's machinations reached the NRL, Smith acted swiftly to ensure no such deal materialised.

Demetriou admits his office has taken a proactive approach to dealing directly with ASADA and the federal government but denies there have been secret deals or favourable treatment.

"I won't deny that we have been in talks with ASADA since day one," he said. "We have been transparent and the Essendon players came forward freely with their concerns at the start. They have been totally honest.

"I know the NRL has been jumping up and down with the Prime Minister but there is a mechanism in place, available to all athletes under the code, that allows for more lenient penalties if the athlete is honest from the outset. All we have done is seek to ensure that our athletes will be treated fairly under that code.

"The investigation is not even complete yet so nobody knows the outcome but I will say that we have treated this very seriously from day one.

"We have not hired lawyers or loudly criticised the process. The ACC obviously has a lot of information and we are keen to ensure this is the right outcome for all concerned."

However, Smith remains concerned his players will be suspended without a fair hearing because of the ACC and ASADA's need to produce "scalps".

NRL staff are privately fuming Cronulla were swooped on by ASADA, while Essendon were not subject to the same scrutiny from the drug agency.

Smith has been told that ASADA's new wide-ranging coercive powers, which come into effect in the next few weeks, will have a huge impact on the NRL players under investigation.

Without a positive drug test, the investigation has so far stalled, with players under a cloud being told they should confess.

ASADA will soon have the power to force them to answer questions, giving them wide ranging powers to suspend without a full investigation.

Seriously are the Sharks that stupid? they didn't come forward so they got smashed....... not sure how they can be angry at the "lack" of scrutiny over Essendon which I would strong argue we havn't escaped at all

Bit worried about the fact they can suspend players without investigations, that can't be good for anyone

[BenDoolan]

ASADA will soon have the power to force them to answer questions, giving them wide ranging powers to suspend without a full investigation.

f****** what?????

[billyduckworth]

ASADA will soon have the power to force them to answer questions, giving them wide ranging powers to suspend without a full investigation.

f****** what?????

Agree that sounds like Stalin's Russian "show trials".
How can you suspend without a full investigation?? (unless there is an outright confession, of course).

[Sartorius]

ASADA will soon have the power to force them to answer questions, giving them wide ranging powers to suspend without a full investigation.

f****** what?????

Surely it's a lot easier said than done. If they did that there would be a massive uproar. It sounds absurd.

[Jazz_84]

Whateley today said Essendon's day of scandal like Cronulla has just endured will come..... he hasn't spoken well of us at all through this.... not that he has to or anything but he seems pretty confident something is coming, and love's to stick the boot in in his own wordly fashion, surely he can't know anything that we don't as of yet

Also find it strange that if ASADA 100% have proof the Cronulla players took something then why did they all play tonight??? All im seeing are scare tactics and a lot of chest beating

[ealesy]

Whately is a f****** sook of a Geelong supporter who hasn't got over the fact Bomber Thompson walked out on the Cats to come back to Essendon. (was probably one of the multitudes of Cat's fans that wanted Bomber sacked at the end of 2006)

He has as much of an agenda as Caro or Fatprick and I wouldn't pay to much attention to any shit that dribbles out of his mouth.

[hop]

Just demonstrates to me how much more professional the AFL is in comparison to the rock-apes that administer and play cross-country-wrestling.

"We have not hired lawyers or loudly criticised the process" Smack!

Well done Vlad!

[BenDoolan]

Just demonstrates to me how much more professional the AFL is in comparison to the rock-apes that administer and play cross-country-wrestling.

"We have not hired lawyers or loudly criticised the process" Smack!

Well done Vlad!

Yep, totally agree with this!

[dom_105]

Whateley today said Essendon's day of scandal like Cronulla has just endured will come..... he hasn't spoken well of us at all through this.... not that he has to or anything but he seems pretty confident something is coming, and love's to stick the boot in in his own wordly fashion, surely he can't know anything that we don't as of yet

Retrospectively trying to justify the media as a collective losing their minds when the shit hit the fan weeks back.

[boris]

Just demonstrates to me how much more professional the AFL is in comparison to the rock-apes that administer and play cross-country-wrestling.

"We have not hired lawyers or loudly criticised the process" Smack!

Well done Vlad!

Thanks HOP. I laughed out loud. CCW!

[vern]

I think the Cronulla situation and the rection of experts analysing what that means in relation to Essendon, just highlights the complete frustration of the situation. We simply won't know what will happen to Essendon until the reviews(internal) and ASADA are completed and released. Everything else is speculation.
For me, the key piece of information is what led Essendon to go to ASADA.
We could be the same as Cronulla(hope not) and we could be completely different. I wish we could find out today or tomorrow but unfortunatley it requires a kind of patience I am struggling to find.

[s'dreams]

Sorry for biting again

It appears that Lundy is being given the rounds of the cabinet/caucus by her own... saying put up or shut up... about time

Given the allegations of todays sanctimonious Robbo piece - I am suprised that the plainclothes mr plods aren't being referred to the OPI/Integrity Commission for either potentially compromising an investigation or releasing details of said investigation ... that is if there were actually police survellance of the clinic going on... And as for the ASADA leaks ... *sigh*

[little_ripper]

Would this be it in a nutshell?

1. Sport scientists come up with substances, or ways of administering substances which give a performance edge, which are not currently banned.
2. ASADA/WADA often see this as an unfair or unhealthy edge and ban.
3. Responsible sports scientists come up with new methods and move to those instead.
4. Irresponsible sports scientists/clubs (or rogue players take it on themselves) let sportsmen keep using banned methods after ban, or tell them where they can go to keep getting said banned substances/methods.
5. In essendons case, they have on record all players club administered substances(ie by Dank and anyone else at the club) as being 100% legal.

Now a sports clinic near windy hill has been under investigation for providing banned supplements/and or administrating in a banned way and Essendon players have been seen entering and leaving said place. No doubt if any of the players at essendon were rogue, Dank would probably be able to tell them what they need to take at the clinic(not questioning his ethics or not, but he would know where the line is if he is good). Or perhaps he didnt need too, something may have been banned midseason.

On top of this, the banned methods, although banned are often undetectable by the standard tests used by ASADA.

Sounds like a lot of he said/she said and unless your caught with the needle in your hand, impossible to prove.

The AFLPA will probably move to ensure that its players do not enter clinics unless they are AFL approved in the future. Thats all that really needs to be said in, case closed move on.

[MH_Bomber]

Whately is a f****** sook of a Geelong supporter who hasn't got over the fact Bomber Thompson walked out on the Cats to come back to Essendon. (was probably one of the multitudes of Cat's fans that wanted Bomber sacked at the end of 2006)

He has as much of an agenda as Caro or Fatprick and I wouldn't pay to much attention to any shit that dribbles out of his mouth.

Normally Gerard Whately is pretty fair but when it comes to the drugs in sport issue he's like a terrier chasing a rat. He has been on for years about the Lance Armstrong and I have consistently heard him poo poo athletes that get caught and blame the coaches using the excuse that they didn't know what they were taking. So in this respect I think I can take his sanctimoniousness because he's been consistent on this issue. I think he's too harsh but I can understand that from his perspective he loves sport and wants to know what he is seeing is a genuine performance.

However it the case at our club I hardly think that players should be penalised if they are given substances that have been sanctioned by those in authority at the club and its a collective activity. It would be perfectly reasonable for the Essendon players to assume everything was completely above board and as such that must escape punishment. If it turns out that our players were being administered banned substance then some heads must roll.

I wonder what Gerard would make of if there was an allegation against his beloved Black Caviar ? I hope he'd continue to be consistent.

[Sartorius]

What needs to come of this is for the AFL to make a list of substances that are legal, including how they can be administered. That would work far better than having a banned list.

Supplements should not be a point of difference across different clubs. Let the physical training and the tactics decide the difference.