Essendon players could boycott NAB Challenge games if AFL doesn't backdate anti-doping bans

[Kangaroos4eva]

We're quite happy at Hawthorn.

We're content in our north board bubble.

 

[Muggs]

I am actually confused. The players have elected to take a provisional suspension, they have not been forced to, is this correct?
If they elected to do this then they relied on the AFL to allow them to train which I'm sure they were told would be allowed to do so before taking the provisional suspension. Fair enough. I personally am not to worried about this.

They way this is (sensationally) written is they want the same deal to actually play which is where I would draw the line. I think its a stretch to take a provisional suspension, which you don't have to, and actually be allowed to play. If you want to play, don't take the provisional suspension and don't get the benefit of backdating.

I don't see how anyone is going to force them to play while provisionally suspended causing them to lose backdating benefits. Thats nonsense.

Provisionsal suspensions are automatic once infraction notices are issued, but the AFL commission can override this and allow players to play. Players can voluntarily suspend themselves if they expecting to be issued a infractiion notice.

 

[TazHawk15]

What is really funny is how all of you Essendon supporters are not outraged by what Hird/Dank ect ect have done to your club.

It is everyones elses fault except Jimmy.

the fact you think that and post it goes to show what you know, and what your posts are worth frankly

as funny as you making this ridiculous assumption?

You guys have been on here everyday since this whole thing broke protesting Jimmy's innocence.

You two are ring leaders in the "it is everyone elses fault but Essendon and Jimmy" brigade.

 

[Kappa]

When Essendon players get banned for 2 years and this is all over I think I will cackle manically

At first I sympathized with them, now I can't wait for them to get punished

 

[TaylorMade]

yeah totally!

Except, the NAB cup doesn't even exist. It's just a couple of practice matches.

Good point. Match Fitness for the season proper will probably be irrelevant anyway given what's coming.

 

[Higgins2Waite]

Quite impossible.
But my point is about when the bans should be backdated to.
If an athlete has actually missed nothing, then why should the bans be backdated at all?
It's just my thoughts on this, i just think the backdating is a croc.

Exactly. Back dating includes the time you were in Bali on holiday. Seems fair.

I get the WADA code blah blah...it's not suited etc. Start the bans at the time of competition (Nab cup -> 2 years later)

 

[basashi]

write to WADA then

oh the irony!

 

[Ant_]

According to one poster on the Essendon board, Essendon are training so well they don't need to play NAB Cup...

Well if they're training the house down then good luck to them.

 

[NikkiNoo]

How are you going to ban a Marathon runner from training, or a swimmer, a golfer?

If you train as part of a club, then they are banned from entering those premises to train on. Which covers most swimmers and for a marathon runner and golfer, they are banned from being trained by coaches. The Marathon runners at the AIS for example train there with their coaches, so if one got an infraction notice, then they would be banned from meeting or contact with their coach and from training on the AIS grounds etc.

 

[Teriyakicat]

WADA rules are clear. If you violates the terms of your suspension by competing, even a provisional one, the ban re-starts from the day the suspension was violated. Right now they've been provisionally suspended since they played their last game. If they played in their game on March 7 then their suspension would re-start again from that date. Hence they want a guarantee otherwise they don't want to take the risk by playing.

Hope that clears it up.

Thanks Jim- yes, it IS becoming clearer, the more I read here (just have to sift through the waste to find the high-grade ore)...

 

[Higgins2Waite]

Well if they're training the house down then good luck to them.

Heppell probably is. He prefers match simulation...that real stuff is scary!

 

[Teriyakicat]

the thing is though, it's a provisional suspension. It's not a full suspension. They haven't been found guilty yet, so it is silly to say they shouldn't be able even to train

They've obviously been found guilty of something- otherwise why the provisional suspension? Why not let things go chuffingly along as they have for the past 2 years?

 

[Satan]

Well if they're training the house down then good luck to them.

Training the future Bunnings warehouse down?

 

[basashi]

So 2 year bans should last 4 years, right?

... or, or, maybe a two year ban, when applied to fixtured team sports, should apply to two year's worth of games?

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I am actually confused. The players have elected to take a provisional suspension, they have not been forced to, is this correct?
If they elected to do this then they relied on the AFL to allow them to train which I'm sure they were told would be allowed to do so before taking the provisional suspension. Fair enough. I personally am not to worried about this.

They way this is (sensationally) written is they want the same deal to actually play which is where I would draw the line. I think its a stretch to take a provisional suspension, which you don't have to, and actually be allowed to play. If you want to play, don't take the provisional suspension and don't get the benefit of backdating.

I don't see how anyone is going to force them to play while provisionally suspended causing them to lose backdating benefits. Thats nonsense.

nope, someone's probably addressed this, but that's not how it works. It's not a voluntary provisional suspension, it was an automatic byproduct of infractions. However, there is (rightly) no ban on training during a provisional suspension period

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Either/or

View attachment 105943

you should get a clue champ. We're not one amorphous hive mind, as much as that would be easier for your feeble brain to process

 

[Teriyakicat]

It really doesn't but this 'declaration' by Essendon epitomises the way they've handled this entire saga: threatening to inconvenience others if they don't get their way.

First thing it does, which is consistent with their past moves, is deflect from the issue at hand. Exactly like their move to try and prove that the investigation was unlawful. Which failed spectacularly.

If they do commit to boycotting the nab challenge all it means is the AFL will have to reshuffle some games around to make sure it doesn't affect the other clubs. It will affect people who've bought tickets to games already and they are punishing their own regional based supporters in week one (Morewell) who want to watch their team live. There is also broadcast rights and all that, but only Fox Footy is televising the nab challenge but being a channel fully dedicated to football they are flexible.

So it's a hassle for the AFL and the Bombers want to see if they can get their way because of it.

Another benefit for Essendon if they abandon the pre-season games is that it temporarily hides which of their 18-20 players are provisionally suspended, as any player who doesn't take the field in week one will be suspected as banned.

As a club they've done nothing to deserve any leniency or back-dating of suspensions. They haven't co-operated.

They are banking on the AFL letting them off lightly to protect the AFL's image and for them to not have to make too many changes. The AFL needs to be strong on this and I guess we'll have to wait and see. The ball's in their court now.

They would want to be really careful because if they cave it sets a precedent for all clubs in the future.

so this will show us whether the Almighty Dollar is mightier than the Scales of Justice?
I can't wait!

 

[Lance Uppercut]

They've obviously been found guilty of something- otherwise why the provisional suspension? Why not let things go chuffingly along as they have for the past 2 years?

wow, hard to believe ignorance like this still pervades

 

[Teriyakicat]

wow, hard to believe ignorance like this still pervades

Thank you.

 

[The_Reaper]

because the players are provisionally banned from the time they are issued infraction notices, which was many months ago

Apart from the fact that we had players play international rules

 

[Boxhead_31]

because playing against another side in a competitive game after cheating with PEDs is unfair to the other side. While allowing players to train while under provisional suspension does not affect other teams

So what were seasons 2013 and 2014?

 

[onemancyclone]

you should get a clue champ. We're not one amorphous hive mind, as much as that would be easier for your feeble brain to process

You're all renewing your memberships so surely there's a lot of agreement amongst you.

 

[interestedoz1]

Be interesting to see if "provisional suspension" time served gets officially deducted from any potential Tribunal sentence. Have we had this confirmed?

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Be interesting to see if "provisional suspension" time served gets officially deducted from any potential Tribunal sentence. Have we had this confirmed?

I think it's well known that it counts.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Be interesting to see if "provisional suspension" time served gets officially deducted from any potential Tribunal sentence. Have we had this confirmed?

AFL Anti Doping Code says that it will be.