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- Feb 4, 2009
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I think it is fair to have a swipe at the AFL's handling of this situation. More so how it handled the EFC. They punished Essendon long before all the facts were available and now when a bigger and harsher penalty is due they are hiding behind their original punishment.
In regards to their handling of the players....I think they treated it more like a court of law. Without enough evidence how can they put their hand on their heart and say guilty? Even if they did find them guilty the punishment would have been a couple of months backdated from when they did not play in the preseason games. But you also have to put all this into perspective. How many sporting codes have been put in a position like this one? The AFL had never (and hopefully never again) been put in this position. This was over their head. Treating it like a law court was probably the only thing they knew.
WADA on the other hand is a seasoned systematic organisation whose primary job is to do what they did to Essendon as required. The AFL is not. It definitely shows the AFL has some maturing to do, but again you need to consider their experience in this matter....which was 0.
I feel for the fans in all of this.
In regards to their handling of the players....I think they treated it more like a court of law. Without enough evidence how can they put their hand on their heart and say guilty? Even if they did find them guilty the punishment would have been a couple of months backdated from when they did not play in the preseason games. But you also have to put all this into perspective. How many sporting codes have been put in a position like this one? The AFL had never (and hopefully never again) been put in this position. This was over their head. Treating it like a law court was probably the only thing they knew.
WADA on the other hand is a seasoned systematic organisation whose primary job is to do what they did to Essendon as required. The AFL is not. It definitely shows the AFL has some maturing to do, but again you need to consider their experience in this matter....which was 0.
I feel for the fans in all of this.
