Mega Thread Timeline of Essendon/ASADA/AFL Saga *updated 12/1/16*

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The_Wookie

The_Wookie

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Timeline

General References
Information without direct links is taken from the AFLs Charge Sheet, handed to Essendon on August 13, and publicly available on August 21. Please note this is a work in progress, if theres stuff missing that should be on here, please let me know. [Note articles have not been included where that information was also contained in the AFL charge sheet, Federal Court, Supreme Court or CAS findings.


  • 2004 - Stephen Dank employed at Manly Warringah Rugby League Club
  • 2007 - Dean Robinson begins consulting at Manly-Warringah Rugby league club
  • 2007 - Dean Robins is high performance manager at Geelong AFL club.
  • 2010.10.01 - Dean Robinson begins working at Gold Coast AFL club. At about the same time Stephen Dank began consulting with Gold Coast.
  • 2011.07 - Mr. Dank met Mager' Scdrak, a compounding chemist in Kogarah, Sydney. Subsequent to their meeting, Mr. Scdrak began supplying peptides to Mr. Dank.
  • 2011.08 - Mr. Dank — who had now left Gold Coast and was working with the Penrith Panthers ("Penrith")—connected with Dr. Ijaz Khan and began treating a Penrith NR1 player named Sandor Earl.
  • 2011.08 - In early August 2011, Shane Charter, a biochemist, met Nima Alavi, a compounding chemist at the Como Compounding Pharmacy ("Como"), and discussed with Mr. Alavi the prospect of becoming the potential supplier of pharmacy products to Mr. Charter's `Dr. Ageless' business. It appears that Mr. Dank first came into contact with Mr. Charter around this same time (i.e. August 2011).
  • 2011.08.02 - Dank forwarded a text message to Robinson stating:
    Hi mate. Just in consult for a shoulder reconstruction. This case will be of interest to you. We are utilizing Thymosin post surgically for one shoulder but prophylactically for the other. Thymosin is so effective in soft tissue maintenance.
  • 2011.08.05 - Hird interviewed by ASADA and the AFL Integrity Unit regarding enquiries concerning other clubs and peptides. Hird advised of serious risk.
  • 2011.08.22 - Hird recieves the results of a clinical trial co-authored by Dank, courtesy of Robinson
  • 2011.08.23 - Essendon dietician, Benita lawler, gives Hird an appraisal of lactaway stating it was ineffective, with no data on side effects. Dank forwarded a text message to Robinson stating:
    Don’t forget how important Thymosin is. This is going to be our vital cornerstone next year. It is the ultimate assembly regulatory protein and biological modifier.
  • 2011.08.25 - Dean Robinson arrives at Essendon as its High Performance Coach
  • 2011.08.29 - On 29 August 2011, Mr. Robinson arranged for Mr. Dank to meet with Dr. Bruce Reid, the Essendon club doctor. Dr. Reid stated, when interviewed by investigators, that Mr. Robinson had insisted that Mr. Dank come with him. Mr. Robinson described Mr. Dank as a "biochemist, a pharmacist, a nutritional expert ... the best in Australia."
  • 2011.09.29 - Mr. Dank was interviewed for the position of sports scientist at Essendon by Mr. Hird, Mr. Robinson, Mark Thompson (Essendon senior assistant coach) and Daniel Corcoran (then Essendon people and development manager). At the interview, Mr. Robinson recalled Mr. Dank saying that he would never cross the WADA Code by using illegal substances. After the meeting, Mr. Hird invited Mr. Robinson and Mr. Dank to his home to discuss what they were going to do to "turn this club around." It was agreed that Mr. Dank was to introduce and run a supplements program complying with the WADA Code and the AFI. Anti-Doping Code.
  • 2011.10.04 - Robinson suggests to Dank that they refer to prohibited substances as "amino acids or something"
  • 2011.11.01 - Dank formally begins employment at Essendon. His responsibilities included "the design of supplementation protocols and recovery procedures and their implementation.".
  • 2011.11 - Mr. Dank introduced himself to Mr. Alavi and approached him about his business being the official pharmacy to supply Essendon. They developed a working relationship until about September 2013 when contact ceased
  • 2011.11 - Dank cordinates the private testing of players without the knowledge of the club.
  • 2011.12.02 - Shane Charter returns to Melbourne with Raw material for GHRP-6,
    CJC-1295, Thymosin Beta-4 and IGF1-LR3. During December 2011, he also ordered from China, via email, on behalf of Dank: GHRP-2, GHRP-6, CJC-1295, Hexarelin, Thymosin beta-4 and Mechano growth factor
  • 2012.01.10 - the Club is billed for 14 vials of Hexerlin at a cost $4,200
  • 2012.01.13 - Reid became aware that players had been administered Tribulus
    orally and had been injected with AOD-9604 without his approval
  • 2012.01.13 - Reid expressed his concern to Hird and to Hamilton that players had been getting injections of a peptide that he knew nothing about while the players and he had been told that they were getting vitamins and amino acids.
  • 2012.01.15 - 15 January 2012, Robinson developed a new supplementation protocol
    (the Protocol), which was sent by email to Hird, Dank and Reid which required Reid to be informed.
  • 2012.01.16 - Concerns about supplements being offend were raised by players at a leadership meeting. Mr. McVeigh, one of the team leaden, raised concerns with the coach and others in early 2012 about the supplement program. The leadership group were Messrs. Watson, Hille and McVeigh
  • 2012.01.17 - Dr. Reid wrote to Mr. Hird and Mr. Hamilton about players being given subcutaneous injections including AOD-9604. He pointed out his concerns as club doctor. After referring to a substance he stated: I think we are playing at the edge and this will read extremely badly in the press for our club and for the benefits and also for side effects that are not known in the long term. I have trouble with all these drugs.
  • 2012.01.18 - the Club was billed by Como for seven vials of Hexarelin and
    26 vials of “peptide Thymosin” at a combined cost of $9,860
  • 2012.01.30 - Hird forwarded a text message to Corcoran stating, in part: No stress but need to organise a meeting with you me Reidy, Danksy and Weapon the day you get back. Reidy has stopped everything which is getting a little frustrating. Need to get your United Nations skills back into action.
  • 2012.02.12 - the Essendon players attended a meeting at the club auditorium. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Ilird, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Dank and related to the new supplement protocols. Either at the meeting or shortly thereafter, the vast majority of players signed 'patient information/informed consent' forms in which they consented to the administration of four substances including AOD-9604 and 'Thymosin' by way of injections. It was asserted in the form that the proposed treatment was WADA compliant. Dr. Reid was not present at that meeting
  • 2012.02.29 - Como issued an amended invoice to the Club which re-credited the
    Club for the costs of the Hexarelin and “peptide Thymosin”.
  • 2012.03.08 - Dr Robin Willcourt (Willcourt) advised Dank by SMS that the cost of
    TA-65 was $1,450. This substance was later administered to REDACTED a player at the Club. The use of TA-65 was not approved by Reid, in accordance with the Protocol, or otherwise.
  • 2012.03.12 - Sometime prior to 12 March 2012, Mr. Charter introduced Mr. Dank to Sergio Del Vecchio, a businessman. They met and Mr. Dank spoke about peptides. Mr. Del Vecchio has stated that he questioned Mr. Dank about whether he was allowed to use peptides on professional athletes. Mr. Del Vecchio did his own investigations regarding whether peptides mentioned by Mr. Dank were banned and found that they were. He communicated this information to Mr. Dank.
  • 2012.03.13 - players at the Club commenced treatment at Skinovate Clinic,
    Suite 1, 143 Napier Street, Essendon. The invoices and an explanatory letter sent to the Club indicate that 155 intravenous (IV drip) treatments were administered to players (and perhaps others) from March 2012 to July 2012. The treatments were described as “sodium ascorbate solution (Vitamin C) and B-Dose (Vitamin B complex)” [Demetriou warns against the influence that sports scientists have over doctors at clubs]
  • 2014.04.12 - Mr. Dank informed Mr. Hird "All IV and injections completed."
  • 2012.04.15 - Three players were treated at Beechmont Natural Clinic, 32C Jardine Road, Lower Beechmont, Queensland. The invoices indicate that those players received injections of Traumeel, Vitamin B12 and Actovegin.
  • 2012.04.19 - Mr. Dank texted Mr. Hird: "This afternoon's group went very well on hyperbaric. All injections completed for the week," to which Mr. Hird replied, "Good news. Now let's take it up to the Blues."
  • 2012.05 - Mr. Dank and Mr. Alavi exchanged messages about setting up a business venture in Qatar. This was pursued by Mr. Dank who visited the Middle East but the venture did not come to fruition. Before the AFL Tribunal, Dr. Peter Fricker gave evidence about his contact with Mr. Dank in relation to this venture. At the time he met Mr. Dank, Dr. Pricker was working at the Aspire Zone Foundation as Chief Sports Medicine Advisor.
  • 2012.06.15 - Robinson emailed Reid a list of supplements to be administered
    between the mid-year bye and the 2012 Grand Final, which included Thymodulin,
    Cerebrolysin and intravenous immune boosters.
  • 2012.09 - Essendon self-reported its concerns over an alleged supplements program being used by its players to the AFL and ASADA.
  • 2012.09.04 - Stephen Dank leaves the Essendon Football Club
  • 2012.09.24 - Paul hamilton resigns from Essendon
 
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2014

2015 - 2016

 
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Awesome thread. Spent a while going through each milestone.

Is it possible / or will it add value, to include more articles relating to Robinson? If I remember correctly, he was sacked on full pay while the club attributed the lion's share of the blame to him in early official statements? He then took
them to court. Club initially indicated they would not settle, mediation proved unsuccessful and they finally conceded.
 
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archibald23 said:
Awesome thread. Spent a while going through each milestone.

Is it possible / or will it add value, to include more articles relating to Robinson? If I remember correctly, he was sacked on full pay while the club attributed the lion's share of the blame to him in early official statements? He then took
them to court. Club initially indicated they would not settle, mediation proved unsuccessful and they finally conceded.
Click to expand...

Added more Robinson articles to the timeline, per your suggestion. Thanks.
 
The_Wookie said:
Theres still some gaps to be filled, but in the meantime ive opened this thread for suggestions and discussion - strictly on the timeline ONLY.
Click to expand...

There is an argument for saying the NAB Challenge begins on March 7 (Bombers first game). And this date could still be after a Tribunal verdict.
 
Hi all,
Love the idea of a Timelime, but I reckon it should go back further, to when David Evans was elected President of Essendon in December 2009.

That way you can add in the dates when Thompson joined Essendon, Dank joined EFC, Hird joined EFC and Thompson joined Ess. Key resignation/sacking dates should be added also, Demetriou, Evans Robinson, Corcoran etc

You call also add the background “Calzada/AOD” stuff as well, to see how that ties into the overall scheme of things.

The other left field options I’d add to the timeline include:
- Matthew Egan joining Ess FC in 2012, Matthew had to retire from a Navicular injury, just like Hirdy had trouble with it in 2004. Thompson coached Egan at Geelong remember.
- Beverley Knight’s retirement from EFC Board, Beverley rebuilt the Essendon FC Governance structure in 2009-2011, so why did the Governance at Ess FC need to be so critical in 2013, when it was allegedly rebuilt only a few years earlier by Bev Knight?

I think the Timeline idea is great, but we need a bigger picture. Evans’ elevation to Essendon President in late 2009 is a good start point, as so many blocks fell into place after that.
 
*, you blokes are getting worried…… You don’t like questions being asked, don’t you?

The crew of Thomson, Hird and Evans happened after 2009.

Let’s look at Schiavello, who I understand paid out Knights contract under the Evans Presidency.

The Evans appointment of EFC President is the appropriate place to start the timeline, as that provides the start point for “bringing the boys back together”.

Madd Adam would see the value in that too.
 
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I'm more interested in the last two entries. I feel like they are missing a certain detail.
 

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Akka76 said:
*, you blokes are getting worried…… You don’t like questions being asked, don’t you?

The crew of Thomson, Hird and Evans happened after 2009.

Let’s look at Schiavello, who I understand paid out Knights contract under the Evans Presidency.

The Evans appointment of EFC President is the appropriate place to start the timeline, as that provides the start point for “bringing the boys back together”.

Madd Adam would see the value in that too.
Click to expand...

Timeline is done. not going back that far. Could go back to when his dad ran the place, or when his dad played footy.
 
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