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Crime Commission Report- AOD9604 mentions
The principal substances identified through Project Aperio as being used were:
- growth hormone releasing peptides (CJC-1295, GHRP-2, GHRP-6 and Hexarelin)
- growth hormone variants (AOD-9604)
- selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs)
- insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and mechano growth factor (MGF).
Growth Hormone Variants
AOD-9604 is a variant of growth hormone which has fat burning properties and may be used by athletes to increase power to weight ratios by better utilisation of fat stores.
AOD-9604 is about to enter phase three clinical trials.
12 During phase two clinical trials it was also found to have an anabolic effect on cartilage tissue and may promote cartilage creation and repair and have a capacity to enhance muscle formation.13
AOD-9604 is not currently a WADA prohibited substance.
ACC STATEMENT: AOD-9604
Tue, 16/07/2013
The Australian Crime Commission sought expert advice from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) at the time of developing the
Organised Crime and Drugs in Sport report and was advised (correctly) that AOD-9604 is not prohibited under schedule S2 of the WADA prohibited list
[1].
The World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) is the pre-eminent authority and expert in this field and the Australian Crime Commission welcomes the subsequent clarification by WADA on 22 April 2013 of the status of
AOD-9604 as a prohibited substance under the S0 classification. The WADA statement confirms that
AOD-9604 was a prohibited substance, both in and out of competition, during the period of activity that was investigated by Project Aperio.
The S0 classification reflects WADA’s advice that there is no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority in the world for human therapeutic use of
AOD-9604. One of the concerns held by the ACC during Project Aperio was that professional athletes were being administered substances that had not been approved for use on humans.
It seems there is much confusion regarding the status of AOD-9604.
From the WADA Prohibited List
S0. NON-APPROVED SUBSTANCES
Any pharmacological substance which is not addressed by any of the subsequent sections of the List and with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use (e.g drugs under pre-clinical or clinical development or discontinued, designer drugs, substances approved only for veterinary use) is prohibited at all times.
S2. PEPTIDE HORMONES, GROWTH FACTORS AND RELATED SUBSTANCES
The following substances and their releasing factors are prohibited:
1. Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents [e.g. erythropoietin (EPO), darbepoetin (dEPO), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) stabilizers, methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (CERA), peginesatide (Hematide)];
2. Chorionic Gonadotrophin (CG) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) in males;
3. Corticotrophins;
4. Growth Hormone (GH), Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs), Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), Mechano Growth Factors (MGFs), Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), Vascular-Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) as well as any other growth factor affecting muscle, tendon or ligament protein synthesis/degradation, vascularisation, energy utilization, regenerative capacity or fibre type switching;
and other substances with similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s).
In my opinion, Essendon must have known they were playing with fire. AOD-9604 isn't explicitly mentioned in S2 but it seems to have growth hormone properties.*Alarm bells* It also seems it was not approved for human use, pushing it under the S0 category. *More alarm bells*.
The club therefore had three options:-
-seek written clarification / approval from ASADA and preferably approach the AFL with this evidence before using
-not use it due to doubts over whether it is banned or not (ie absolve all risk). ABORT.
-make a basic attempt at clarification / approval but not mitigate all risk. Ie. grey areas left- taking a chance.
Massive questions still must be asked. I look forward to the full release of emails / letters regarding their attempts at verifying its status.