The problem with everything is that anti-doping has been setup to punish individuals in sport not teams, it's why American sports refuse to comply with the WADA code because it's a useless system when more than one person is involved. The case of Amed Saad was an easy one, given an 18 month suspension without any hesitation after testing positive to a banned substance found in an energy drink. It's setup for that, because it's a swift positive test to sentence verdict.
But when it comes to a group of 34 players on top of never tested positive it becomes incredibly muddied and difficult to handle.
What ASADA had to argue against Saad:
Positive samples of the energy drink 'Before Battle' containing the banned substance methylsynephrine.
Saad confessing to his club doctor and then ASADA that he took the banned substance match day.
What ASADA has to argue against Essendon:
0 positive A samples.
~40 various accounts of what happened
A practice of injecting the players with ASADA compliant substances.
But because it's similar to Brisbane's IV drip re-hydration of the early 2000's the injection program was punished by the AFL purely from the bad look on the game.
An
alleged practice of injecting the players with non-ASADA compliant substances.
Dank refusing to be questioned about the practice.
If ASADA somehow finds positive samples of physical proof banned ASADA substances:
The 18 month - 2 year ban will be handed down, destroying Essendon and they'll take the AFL down with them.
Potentially backdated to show cause letter date and Essendon will take them to court to back date it to original investigation date.
If ASADA has no physical proof banned ASADA substances were administered and used on players:
The players will cop a short to medium ban because of a lack of due care for their players welfare.
No matter what the outcome, Essendon are probably going to try and sue the pants off of ASADA/WADA for damages.
The WADA code does not work with team sports and until they rewrite an entire law to include team situations like this one, it will never work.