Why is the AFL not punishing the EFC for the use of banned drugs?

[HR Roughnstuf]

Sometimes I just don't think people understand how destructive this decision is going to be.

There is NOTHING that the AFL could do to **** us more than suspending 12 players for a year, except maybe suspending 12 players for a year and telling them that they can void their contracts and become FAs without compensation.

Memberships? stuffed, though there has been a bit of a dead cat bounce
Gate receipts? stuffed
Sponsorship revenue? stuffed
TV numbers? stuffed
Player morale? stuffed
Club morale? stuffed
Likelihood of attracting FAs / trade targets? **** all
Junior player development? stuffed

We won't be competitive for five to ten years, minimum.

We just want to make sure of it

 

[Mahlepi]

Well Geelong obviously drug cheated it's way to 3 premierships.
Eddie McGuire is very keen for all of this to go away as well.
Read into that what you will.

Richmond recruited dusty to assist with distribution

 

[TheHunterCripps]

It would be kinda nice though for at least 1"journalist" to make Gillon uncomfortable and MAKE him explain his bullshit.

Journo: "Gillon, given that the AFL, and Paul Little representing EFC, insisted vociferously that the 2013 punishments were not in any way doping penalties...what are the actual AFL penalties to EFC for doping 34 players?"

Exactly.

LanceU thinks that EFC has been punished - go refer to the charge sheet, he says. EFC refused to admit to the charge sheet, and refused to acknowledge drug cheating. They were expressly NOT punished for drug cheating. They were punished for governance issues, for putting players at risk; not actually drugging them. The neatly contrived Ziggy Switkowski Report was designed for this purpose - to provide an excuse for opaque admissions and quick justice. It did not determine drug use as it considered the ASADA investigation to be operating in that domain.

Now that the ASADA investigation is complete, and CAS has determined that the players were drugged, the AFL needs to punish them or explain itself. Hopefully some journo will hold them accountable.

 

[Grin]

Except they are receiving top up players (so the AFL can still have their competition) and allowances to pay these players over and above the salary cap (because they are still going to pay their banned players while they are banned). They are still receiving the Anzac Day clash, which is just a debacle. Then there's the little issue of likely finishing bottom, and then carrying away the top draft pick, while they regain their banned players. I hope the other clubs make a big deal about the draft pick because it just doesn't sit right. Players banned for doping, there'll be no further sanctions. but hey, here's the number one draft pick for your trouble. Stinks to high heaven.

Essendon have received minimal penalties for running the most systematic program of drug cheating in Australian history.
The AFL would much, much rather see this be swept under the carpet than stamp out drug cheating.
Therefore they are virtually rewarding Essendon for being caught.
Much like they "punished" Melbourne, then gave them a shit load of cash as their reward for cheating.

One would have hoped that McGlachlan was more ethical and less incompetent than his predecessor.
A chip off the old block it seems.
As long as he gets his massive bonus, he couldn't give two hoots about the long term health of our game, or it's players for that matter.

 

[QuietB]

Sometimes I just don't think people understand how destructive this decision is going to be.

There is NOTHING that the AFL could do to **** us more than suspending 12 players for a year, except maybe suspending 12 players for a year and telling them that they can void their contracts and become FAs without compensation.

Memberships? stuffed, though there has been a bit of a dead cat bounce
Gate receipts? stuffed
Sponsorship revenue? stuffed
TV numbers? stuffed
Player morale? stuffed
Club morale? stuffed
Likelihood of attracting FAs / trade targets? **** all
Junior player development? stuffed

We won't be competitive for five to ten years, minimum.

I largely agree with this. Essendon have been punished. And you can't have it both ways, WADA are the authority, they did appeal, and a punishment has been handed down.

In addition, what further punishment is there going to be? Draft sanctions have happened. So a fine? What for? The AFL basically paid Carltons fine back. Essendon are financially wounded already.

It is done. The players get treated as individuals under the code and they have been punished.

 

[sherb]

Sometimes I just don't think people understand how destructive this decision is going to be.

There is NOTHING that the AFL could do to **** us more than suspending 12 players for a year, except maybe suspending 12 players for a year and telling them that they can void their contracts and become FAs without compensation.

Memberships? stuffed, though there has been a bit of a dead cat bounce
Gate receipts? stuffed
Sponsorship revenue? stuffed
TV numbers? stuffed
Player morale? stuffed
Club morale? stuffed
Likelihood of attracting FAs / trade targets? **** all
Junior player development? stuffed

We won't be competitive for five to ten years, minimum.

Why shouldn't the penalties be "destructive"?

Why shouldn't you pay for running a doping programme?

 

[Blueyboy74]

no, they shouldn't have been punished when they did. The AFL should have waited until now. Then I would agree with you. But they didn't. Instead they trampled over proper due process and leveled their punishment in 2013.

Have to agree with Lance. The AFL who think they are so powerful & mighty that proper process does not apply to them, imposed their own sanctions for breaching the drug code, dressed this up by saying these related to governance issues (and in the process fooling no one with half a brain) in their misguided assumption that this would be the final judgement once they sorted out everything with the Government, ASADA and any other interested parties.

Oops ...

Further sanctions added to this and WADA's would be too heavy handed but no punishment just magnifies their utterly inept and egotistical handling of this affair from day one.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Because the AFL does not give 2 shits about integrity or fairness, they want essendon to be strong fast to get more money for their own bonus.

That money is all the money that they money. The money concern is to make the money more money.

 

[jim boy]

Banned from finals in 2013
First and second round draft picks in the 2013 ND
First and second round draft picks in the 2014 ND (with an end of first round compensation pick)
2 year bans for 34 players (12 listed)
Ability for all players to declare their contracts void without FA compensation (cost so far Ryder, Crameri, Carlisle, likely to be at least a few more)

Really what more do you want?

All of those punishments were about the players - i'd ban all board members, high ranking officials and senior coaching staff from entering any football ground or holding any position for three years. They're the ones who go your team in this mess and the message needs to be rammed home that if you are going to play with fire, then be prepared to get burnt.

 

[evo]

FFS you aren't Goldman Sachs, you aren't even Bear Stearns.

As each day passes they are more like Lehmann Brothers, Boris

 

[medusala]

As each day passes they are more like Lehmann Brothers, Boris

Remember Dick Fuld getting belted in the gym afterwards? Reckon there would be a few lining up in the locker room for a certain person if he showed his face.

#homegym
#treadmill

 

[ODNBlue]

That money is all the money that they money. The money concern is to make the money more money.

That comment is money.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Because the AFL does not care about drugs. They care about public perception and money.

 

[Marley10]

What's the purpose? It is ridiculous that * will be given the #1 selection in the ND because half of the squad is suspended for doping. Their selections should be move to at best before the finalists at worst the end of the round. If they get the spoon in 2017 then fair enough, no more draft sanctions, but in 2017 they shouldn't be rewarded for an artificially weakened squad .....

People couldn't wait for our punishment to be handed out back in 2013, so the AFL brought forward the punishment and called it bad governance and bring the game into disrepute. Can't bake your cake and eat it too. Had people have waited until the verdict was handed, the punishment would've been now.

This is what you wanted in 2013, now we have served our punishment and get to have the number 1 draft pick. That is, unless Carlton's crapness stops us. So deal with it.

 

[Marley10]

You people cried and whined and moaned in 2013. So you are partly to blame for Essendon receiving no punishment now.

Imagine what could've been if you had patience? Verdict would be handed out. Fine would've been handed out now. There would've been an exodus while we had our draft picks stripped. We may have even won a premiership, which would've been taken away from us.
We would've finished last in the next couple of years without being compensated with our draft picks. This would've set us back for over a decade and would've crippled us financially.

But because you guys were like "ohhhhh Essndin cheat need punish now compromise finals", the punishment was brought forward, given a name, meaning that we will benefit from being so crap and the punishment won't be as disastrous anymore.

So thank you HTB and all the others for helping the EFC rebuild with your impatience

 

[Randomizor]

You people cried and whined and moaned in 2013. So you are partly to blame for Essendon receiving no punishment now.

Imagine what could've been if you had patience? Verdict would be handed out. Fine would've been handed out now. There would've been an exodus while we had our draft picks stripped. We may have even won a premiership, which would've been taken away from us.
We would've finished last in the next couple of years without being compensated with our draft picks.

But because you guys were like "ohhhhh Essndin cheat need punish now compromise finals", the punishment was brought forward, given a name, meaning that we will benefit from being so crap and the punishment won't be as disastrous anymore.

So thank you HTB and all the others for helping the EFC rebuild with your impatience

You'll be on the bottom of the ladder for a decade. Enjoy it.

 

[Marley10]

You'll be on the bottom of the ladder for a decade. Enjoy it.

And we will benefit from being bottom as we watch our list grow into premiership contention. Thank you for your concern <3

 

[Chameleon75]

People couldn't wait for our punishment to be handed out back in 2013, so the AFL brought forward the punishment and called it bad governance and bring the game into disrepute. Can't bake your cake and eat it too. Had people have waited until the verdict was handed, the punishment would've been now.

This is what you wanted in 2013, now we have served our punishment and get to have the number 1 draft pick. That is, unless Carlton's crapness stops us. So deal with it.

but you can bake your cake and it too, you just can't have your cake and eat it too

 

[Marley10]

but you can bake your cake and it too, you just can't have your cake and eat it too

Aww I knew I sucked with this expression. I even had to google it, and it lied to me.

 

[Perry Pie]

Sometimes I just don't think people understand how destructive this decision is going to be.

There is NOTHING that the AFL could do to **** us more than suspending 12 players for a year, except maybe suspending 12 players for a year and telling them that they can void their contracts and become FAs without compensation.

Memberships? stuffed, though there has been a bit of a dead cat bounce
Gate receipts? stuffed
Sponsorship revenue? stuffed
TV numbers? stuffed
Player morale? stuffed
Club morale? stuffed
Likelihood of attracting FAs / trade targets? **** all
Junior player development? stuffed

We won't be competitive for five to ten years, minimum.

Your point is a valid one. The club has been punished by its own posturing and the way it has conducted itself since thing started. So it has had a self inflicted punnishment.

However, the club has not been punished for systematic doping in an official way - governance is not doping. Most player management has been changed - so no extra penalty there is approriate. I don't know how many directors are still at the club from the time - but they should all go, every one of them, as should the Doctor. That would represent the propper and full clean out that is required. It is not a penalty as such (it was a part of a penalty I advocated at the time to establish a clean slate) they should all resign now to give the club a clean slate. Then the EFC and everyone else can move on - which is what is needed.

 

[Perry Pie]

penalties should not be determined based off what's good for the competition in the short run. Penalties need to be based off what is good for sport over the long run. The greatest threat to people enjoying sport is systematic doping. If the public believe winners in sports are solely those with the best medicos then the public will stop following it. Not penalising drug offences properly threatens the long run future of all sports including the afl. If the Essendon club has to collapse to ensure that sport remains safe from doping then so be it. It's their own fault.

Agree with this except the club does not need to collapse and fold. Its the EFC fans who will be cut out of the game forever, thay will be lost, and that does not help anyone.
The clean slate - fresh start is what is still needed. Those in senior responsible positions at the time, the club Directors and the Doctor should all go.
If anything is still outstanding now it is action by the AFL against the individuals who have not been punished for the doping saga (although Hird would probably argue that his 12 month paid holiday was a punishment, and he could possibly win that argument, so it is probably a waste of effort).

 

[you pick one]

Wait till the first kid they pick in the draft at the end of the year comes out and says publicly I don't want to be associated with those doping pricks.Over to you Gillon.

 

[Seeds]

Agree with this except the club does not need to collapse and fold. Its the EFC fans who will be cut out of the game forever, thay will be lost, and that does not help anyone.
The clean slate - fresh start is what is still needed. Those in senior responsible positions at the time, the club Directors and the Doctor should all go.
If anything is still outstanding now it is action by the AFL against the individuals who have not been punished for the doping saga (although Hird would probably argue that his 12 month paid holiday was a punishment, and he could possibly win that argument, so it is probably a waste of effort).

No it doesnt need to fold by any means. But the small risk of the club falling over shouldnt influence the penalty given.

 

[tigerdan]

For about the millionth time, the precedent now says that if you dope your players but keep good records you won't get done for btgid.

Wonder if the essendon supporters are OK with that.

 

[Chameleon75]

For about the millionth time, the precedent now says that if you dope your players but keep good records you won't get done for btgid.

Wonder if the essendon supporters are OK with that.

does the afl follow precedent?