Mark Thompson backs existence of documentation from Essendon’s 2012 supplements program
MARK Thompson has joined Essendon coach James Hird in confirming the presence of a spreadsheet documenting the club’s controversial injection regimen.
Thompson revealed he had seen an A3 copy of an excel document detailing the injection of permitted substance Thymomodulin to players when he was an assistant coach in 2012.
Crucially, a lack of records has created mystery around what the players were injected with and remains a major reason why WADA this week elected to appeal the not-guilty verdict.
Such documentation would go some way to proving players were not administered prohibited substance Thymosin beta-4.
However, Thompson couldn’t confirm whether this document was provided to ASADA as part of the joint investigation.
“I don’t know where it was given, but I’ve seen it and I assume that they (ASADA) took all the paperwork,” Thompson told Fox Footy’s AFL360.
On Tuesday night current coach James Hird insisted the document was supplied to ASADA by then club chief Ian Robson.
Hird went on to suggest that it’s disappearance was the fault of the anti-doping body.
“It’s not Essendon who’s destroyed anything. It’s not an accusation — it’s a fact,” Hird said.
Earlier in the program co-host Gerard Whateley revealed a source, who he described as “having intimate knowledge of the investigation”, had cast doubt over the validity of the document.
“ ... The spreadsheet that is in the hands of investigators commenced in the middle of the year — the program had long been in operation by then — and it did not quantify injectables,” Whateley said.
“There was an internal email regarding Thymomodulin, which didn’t contain anything that could be regarded as a spreadsheet and that email, again, surfaced well into the year.”
“I offer that with no opinion, that’s the facts,” Whateley concluded.
Thompson also provided an insight into the toll on-field the investigation had on the playing group over the past two seasons.
When acting as the senior coach in 2014 he often noticed the players’ focus wavering due to stress.
“There was a couple of training sessions where I thought we may as well not train because we trained like under 10s,” Thompson said.
“They couldn’t kick, they couldn’t handball and they couldn't be in the right position. And I thought, ‘this is not them’.
“I don't think I realised the depth of it then, but it’s a lot deeper than what a lot of people think. “It’s enormous pressure on a group of young men.”
With Essendon sitting 11th on the ladder with three wins and as many losses, Hird’s coaching was already under the microscope before the news of WADA’s appeal broke.
Thompson back his former teammate and stressed that Hird might be suffering from a lack of support from within the club.
“I don’t think there’s a problem with his coaching,” Thompson said.
“I don't think the club is functioning as well as it could be. I think if the club could be as one, all on the same path ... It would be a better performed unit.
“James would be feeling very isolated ... You’d want him to have the support and feel comfortable win lose or draw. He probably needs it more than anyone.”
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