EFC players: Comfortable satisfaction not reached.

[Spitta09]

We need our picks back now.

What? Your club still did the wrong thing and dragged the game through the mud

 

[Underdog]

It's over mate. Not guilty. The season is about to start. Move on

So you're happy simply not knowing what the players took?

I'd hope the full judgement would reveal their opinion on Essendon's version of events.

It's very possible they didn't believe Essendon but still couldn't rule against them.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Unanimously decided they couldnt be comfortably satisfied they were injected - because of the shredders. Doesnt mean they didnt dope.. which they did

Can you provide evidence of this?

 

[TaylorMade]

Well if the evidence wasn't there then good grief... What the hell have ASADA been doing for 2 years?

I am quite surprised at this, was expecting a guilty verdict with a very soft penalty given some of the fairly incriminating evidence that was leaked.

I think many still think they probably did take TB4 but it just can't be proven to comfortable satisfaction. Will be interesting to see what WADA do, and may also be an indication of how strong ASADA/WADA truly believe their evidence is.

I can't help but feel this sets a horrible precedent.

Setup a sports scientist as the fall guy. Get him to be deliberately vague with all documentation and use substances that can't be detected.

Then sit back and say "Prove who took what, we aren't telling lulz"

Essendon supporters must be relieved.

 

[PACatter]

guilty of running an irresponsible supplement program, yep, agreed to that 2 years ago

So what's your argument with my statement again?

 

[Crankyhawk]

You want someone to be found guilty of administering a substance to people found not to have had it administered to them?

Yep because it would show drugs were given, just not sure who. My opinion has always been that dank went beyond what he was supposed to or gave stuff he thought was legal but failed to check and it was illegal in sport. Always wanted players to be cleared but fines to essendon.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Meanwhile:
"BREAKING | Tony Sheahan has tweeted that TWO more AFL Players are set to announced as ‘early as this week’ to also testing positive to clenbuterol, the same performance enhancing drug Collingwood players Lachie Keeffe and Josh Thomas tested positive to. It is understood that the two players are from two different Victorian Clubs, however names of the players are currently being witheld due to legal ramifications."

 

[Laphroaig]

Is there any reason the decision on Dank is being delayed?

It would look pretty weird if he gets found guilty of administering a prohibited substance but the players are cleared of being administered a prohibited substance.

they said on SEN that Dank is facing far more charges than administering TB4 to Essendon players, so his case is much more complicated

That one's a giant unknowable at this point.

It is possible under the Code that he can go down for trafficking for supplying prohibited substances to any person. It's an odd piece of wording which I don't really comprehend the purpose of.

It's also possible that the evidence does enough to demonstrate a program of doping athletes but fails to clear the last hurdle of nailing down individuals.

And a few possibilities in between. We don't know. For now the tribunal has spoken, and until they speak again we actually know less than we did before.

 

[Matilda05]

It's over mate. Not guilty. The season is about to start. Move on

Oh I have, I just figured that there should be a whole lot of defamation actions coming out against the various news agencies, for articles like the Hal Hunter beatup, the details leaked in the interim reported etc so I was wondering if we would find out what was actually administered not what was reported as being administered.

 

[blackcat]

was there a stenographer?
was their albert running in the street with his kids and a dog?
was Tanya taking notes?

 

[Dan26]

Essendon's expulsion from the 2013 finals series needs an urgent review.

Given Collingwood lost to Port Adelaide at the MCG in their first final in 2013, it is reasonable to assume Essendon would have beaten Collingwood in the Elimination Final and won through to the Grand Final.

The only way to resolve this is to have the round 2 match versus Hawthorn in 2 weeks time at the MCG be played for the 2013 Premiership. Hawthorn will always have a tainted 2013 flag due to their inevitable Essendon opposition on Grand Final day being unable to play. That can all be fixed in 2 weeks time, with the two rivals going head to head for the 2013 premiership.

 

[andrewb]

People are so distorted with the facts here.

People / the media have formed an opinion that Essendon got away with taking performace enhancing drugs. Not true or highly unlikely that they were ever given anything that is illegal.

Essendon fans have been saying this all along and they were correct. However Essendon also refuse to acknowledge that their coaches were running their own "clinical trials" on players, injecting them with stuff they barely know what it is. The only reason they are being accused of being "cheats" is that the stuff they were injecting was so undocumented and the purchasing records were so shady that it raised suspicions. They had no idea what they were giving to the players.

HIGHLY unlikely that Essendon are "drug cheats", so people should stop with this routine and educate themselves. in saying that, it's still 100% certain that Hird is an absolute moron for allowing players to be injected with stuff they have no idea about the long term effects of, and he 100% should be fired for his actions. No if's no buts. So Essendon supporters should pull their heads out of their a** and stop acting like their club has done nothing wrong. They tainted the competition with their own incompetence and Hird's stupidity. Essendon are still a major lawsuit target from former players over this, and they better hope that spud rookie that is suing them isn't successful.

Essendon still deserve everything they got from this.

Club yes, players no.

Good post

 

[Call Me Cake]

It looks to me like the tribunal has only considered 'use' and not 'attempted' use.

From a cursory glance. I need to see the reasons in detail.

Decision: Unanimous

Speed: Lightning quick

Good luck ASADA.

Go bother some other sport with your two year bluffing, just to justify your financial backing and existence.

 

[mxett]

Well if the evidence wasn't there then good grief... What the hell have ASADA been doing for 2 years?

I am quite surprised at this, was expecting a guilty verdict with a very soft penalty given some of the fairly incriminating evidence that was leaked.

I think many still think they probably did take TB4 but it just can't be proven to comfortable satisfaction. Will be interesting to see what WADA do, and may also be an indication of how strong ASADA/WADA truly believe their evidence is.

I can't help but feel this sets a horrible precedent.

Setup a sports scientist as the fall guy. Get him to be deliberately vague with all documentation and use substances that can't be detected.

Then sit back and say "Prove who took what, we aren't telling lulz"

Essendon supporters must be relieved.

ASADA were instructed NOT to charge players but they proceeded anyway

 

[STFU Donnie]

if you'd been through what we've been through you'd probably allow yourself a little leeway too

I'd like to think I'm better than that Lance. I have endured genuine tragedy in my life and am content that I have acted with grace and dignity. You?

 

[Dan Cooper]

So you're happy simply not knowing what the players took?

I'd hope the full judgement would reveal their opinion on Essendon's version of events.

It's very possible they didn't believe Essendon but still couldn't rule against them.

I'm happy ASADA's game of bluff is over and we can get on with playing football

 

[Boxhead_31]

more complex case involving more than essendon players. No result yet

What's he going to be found guilty of though?

 

[Laphroaig]

Oh I have, I just figured that there should be a whole lot of defamation actions coming out against the various news agencies, for articles like the Hal Hunter beatup, the details leaked in the interim reported etc so I was wondering if we would find out what was actually administered not what was reported as being administered.

That's not a given for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is that defamation works on balance of probabilities. That difference can cut both ways.

 

[Spitta09]

TWO YEARS LOL

Appeal? GTFOutta here

Saint Jimmy has been appealing for 2 yrs. I think ASADA/WADA are allowed their turn now

 

[Rusty Brookes]

That's how the justice system works.

EVIDENCE.

You on the other hand are ASSUMING.

And the standard of evidence wasn't even "beyond reasonable doubt", it was "comfortable satisfaction", and Essendon was STILL found NOT GUILTY.

Let it go already. ASADA had nothing to stand on, we all knew it was all bluff.

You are misreading what I am saying. I'm quite happy for the players to get off - as you note ASADA's case couldn't provide the required evidence.

However the club was, is and still remains guilty of gross mismanagement. Hence your punishment in 2012 which was justified. The result today has no bearing on the lack of governance that lead to the situation in the first place. I go back to my point - if the club had been able to provide adequate records in the first instance, the whole thing wouldn't have dragged on for two years.

 

[jenny61_99]

Until (if) evidence is released, you're going to have to cop this decision sweet.

What a strange statement. Have already congratulated your mob. Haven't carried on like a pork chop declaring the afl and tribunal to be crooked. I am still allowed an opinion on it though. So you'll just have to live with that. Or not.

 

[pjcrows]

Let's just play some f*cking footy.

 

[mxett]

So what's your argument with my statement again?

you made it sound like the club were guilty of doping even if the players were cleared. If that was not your intention then Im sorry

 

[ReaperX]

Two things:

Firstly, for those people saying that they're turned off the game, you aren't real supporters. Pure and simple, not opinion, that is absolute fact.

As a club supporter, your club must mean absolutely everything to you, no matter external circumstances. Richmond is ingrained in my lifeblood, and nothing that happens at any other of the 17 clubs would stop my passion for following the Tigers. So for the non-Bombers supporters going on about how this decision has ruined their love for the game; go follow soccer you muppets!

Secondly, whilst I do not agree with the decision, and I personally believe that the players are absolutely responsible and should currently be serving 2 year bans... what I would like to see most of all, above anything else, is consistency of decision.

In other words, Essendon as a club, its' players, officials, etc should either be guilty of nothing, or guilty of everything. It is my belief that at this point, if it has been shown that the players have NOT taken an illegal substance/PED, the Essendon Football Club's fines should be waived, and all their lost draft picks should be restored at some point.

Lack of governance is only relevant as a punishment if there was a lack of governance. And there's only a lack of governance if the players had taken in something that was banned. If they took something banned, all punishment must be enforced immediately. If they didn't, no punishments are relevant or required.

There should be no middle ground. We either ban each and every one of the 34 players for 2-4 years, and the club cops its' financial whacks, or ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THAT HAPPENS.

You can't whack the club, and then let the players off, it makes zero sense and I'd go as far as saying that it's immoral and corrupt.

 

[Zephyr Effekt]

Lol Buddy will make them wish they were banned. He'll kick 10+ in round one.

If he does we'll sue him.