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AFL (Aussie Rules) 2014 |OT| Haven't you Hird? Bomber's back!

AxeMan

Member
This isn't a criminal case so innocent until proven guilty isn't in play.

ASADA believe there is enough evidence that players took illegal drugs. They have issued Show Cause Notices to those players.
If they have evidence that ASADA is wrong they should now produce that evidence.

By taking court action, rather than follow the ASADA process, speaks volumes to the innocence or lack there-of of the club
 

HolyCheck

I want a tag give me a tag
Perhaps Asada could present the evidence they have on the players to the players, if they wish for them to disprove it.
 

AxeMan

Member
Perhaps Asada could present the evidence they have on the players to the players, if they wish for them to disprove it.

Maybe they have. Who knows?

Maybe in the Show Cause Notice it says for the player and their lawyer to contact ASADA to go over it all.


Regardless, why do they need to see the evidence?

Say I get a speeding ticket in the mail.
If I believe I didn't speed I fill out a form saying it wasn't me and send it back. I attach evidence as well - such as my parking ticket showing my car was parked at the time (or something)
If the cops have photo evidence of my car then they produce that telling me I'm a liar. If they don't have the evidence then I'm off free.

But I don't need to see their evidence against me to begin with, I provide my own evidence as to why they are wrong
 

Yagharek

Member
@AxeMan: In the past though, looking at other codes such as athletics or cycling as prime examples, routine and random tests have been used to ban and strip winners of their records (examples are numerous). Samples are kept for years too in the event substances that cannot be detected with current methods might be detectable down the line.

Surely some 2012 Essendon players would have had samples taken? Maybe even most of them should have had multiples on file if the league is at all serious about making sure the competition is clean (and if not, why not?).

Unlike others who have proclaimed guilt from day 1, my position has been pretty fluid but clear.

Either:
a) The club/players did the wrong thing or
b) The league itself has been caught unaware and is making an example of one

If the club did the wrong thing it looks like the players were duped or misled, yet they are the ones that wear the penalties. So too do the clubs some of them have transferred to if there are ex-Essendon players involved. That's an absolute clusterfuck if it's the case.

Yet, if 2-year penalties are to be implemented, surely there must be some evidence beyond the players saying "I think I might have been given something unknown". To nuke someone's career without proof is not going to make it past any legal challenge.

I think if you assume the players or some were indeed given injections of banned substances with misinformation, the most ethical stance I can see would be for each player to put their hands up, concede the injections, argue that they were misled, and sue the fuck out of the club. But in that instance they should not be getting 2 year bans if they were told they were taking X, but were instead given Y.
 

AxeMan

Member
^^

Fair response but from my understanding what the players are accused of taking doesn't stay in the body for long - 30 minutes max. Pretty hard to get a sample on that.

It seems you think the penalties are too harsh, and they maybe. Remember the AFL didn't want to sign up to the WADA code to begin with, they were basically forced to by the government - AFL's government funding held to ransom if they didn't.
They are the rules we play by. If Essendon don't like it then don't play

I still hold to the idea that if Essendon accepted guilt to begin with, players would have had the minimum sentence (6 months) and the saga would have been over 6 months ago.
Hird would have been gone for good, but that's a good thing, and he definitely isn't coming back now.
The AFL want this gone as much as Essendon do, the problem is that Essendon rejected the AFL's way of doing things and went their own way.
They are now reaping what they have sowed
 

Yagharek

Member
If they're playing tactically then yeah, it may have been smarter to let it be done with last year. But maybe there is a genuine reason for wanting to contest this beyond the obvious problem of admitting guilt (if they are).

The big related problem though is that the cases and arguments from ASADA and the AFL have been leaked regularly through the media, so we've only heard one side of the story. Essendon has kept quiet, and aside from Reimers, even the ex-players have kept quiet too. That's why I think the rush to form judgement has been way too much from many people. The future may vindicate them, but only by accident.

Still, it's completely tainted my impression of the whole setup. ASADA, the AFL, possibly the club too. And I bet it's still far more pervasive than just them.
 

AxeMan

Member
No side is clean, none. Both sides have leaked, AFL and Essendon, I don't think ASADA would have.

Essendon players were always going to be issued infractions once Essendon said they weren't sure what they gave the players and it was found links to banned substances - always

AFL (as an organisation) is crooked though - no argument from me there
 

Yagharek

Member
What has Essendon leaked?

ASADA leaked elements of the report to the Herald Sun last year IIRC. There were definitely players named that should not have been known outside of the ASADA team.
 

AxeMan

Member
I was under the impression is was Essendon that leaked the names?

Also , excuse my tardiness in replying - watching the game now
 

Yagharek

Member
I dont think so. Essendon has kept quiet on the specifics to my knowledge, and they certainly would be the last to leak details to the herald sun (or the age) which have been pretty vocal in which side of the fence they sit on.
 

AxeMan

Member
From my reading they are best buds with the Herald Sun, particularly their Chief Football Writer (lol) Robbo.
He is basically PR for Essendon
 

Yagharek

Member
In that case I'll have to plead ignorance as I dont subscribe to HS or buy it here in WA. I thought he was another Caroline Wilson who gets her leaks from afl and asada directly.
 

legend166

Member
Vince, I'm going to outline why I think you're wrong with no snarky comments or anything.

There's plenty of evidence to back up ASADA's case.

1. The players signed a consent form which stated they would be injected with Thymosin. Now, there are two forms of Thymosin - one is called Thymomodulin and is legal, and one is called Thymosin Beta 4 (TB4) and is and always has been illegal under the WADA code. If this was all they had, you could absolutely say the evidence was insufficient because hey, who knows what kind it was or if they even ended up using it? The problem is....

2. There's a paper trail of invoices for 'Thymosin' paid for and delivered to Essendon.

3. There's text messages between Dank and his suppliers where he is told the dosage levels and that aligns with the usage of TB4, not Thymomodulin.

4. Thymomodulin is a well known substance used to treat AIDS patients and has no performance enhancing benefits.

5. There's a publicly available interview where Dank says he used TB4 on the Essendon players and outlined the supposed benefits that go along with TB4 use. When the interviewer tells him it's banned, he's shocked. A few days later he tells them he meant the other Thymosin, the one that isn't banned (likely story).

6. ASADA have spoken to both Dank's suppliers (Charters) and his pharmacist (Alavi). Now this is conjecture on my part but considering how confident ASADA are I'm willing to bet they've got evidence showing the supply of TB4.

So we know for a fact that Essendon players were injected with a form of Thymosin. This isn't under question, by Essendon, by Dank or by the players. All evidence points to it being Thymosin Beta 4. There's no evidence that points to it being Thymomodulon.

And what's important is that to issue an infraction notice, ASADA don't have to prove beyond reasonable doubt. The burden of proof isn't that high. At this stage Essendon need to prove that it was Thymomodulin. The problem is, there are no records. Essendon didn't keep any.

Also, the idea that Essendon have been quiet through this process is remarkable revisionism. How quickly we forget the Tania Hird interviews. The way they went after Demitriou in the press. Little never seems to shut up. Remember Mark McVeigh telling everyone not to worry, it was just vitamin injections!

Sure, they haven't come out and offered a compelling defence. But that's because they don't have one. Hird hired Dank to implement a cutting edge supplements program. Dank, thinking he knew better than WADA, decided to use whatever drugs he felt necessary. In the process he injected the players with PEDs. All the evidence points towards this happening. That's why Essendon don't want to defend themselves on evidence but are trying to attack the process and supress the evidence forever.
 

Yagharek

Member
Thanks for that. Without being snarky thats the first genuine comment I've seen you write without being condescending.

If what you say is true, then they're fucked. The problem for your argument would be if dank ends up having some evidence to the contrary, but thats about as likely as newscorp leaning to the left.

I think what's most concerning is that if the player were misled about what they were given, they are the ones who still wear any penalties. I know thats how it works, but it's morally reprehensible on the part of the people who lied if indeed thats the case.

I am livid either way, but we need confirmation of who ultimately is to blame. The club, the meds, or alternatively the afl and media. It's one group or the other.
 

fisheyes

Member
So glad I get to mostly avoid this ASADA shit over here. Let's just concentrate on what an amazing game that was. Swap Port and Sydney's scores and you've got the perfect grand final right there.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
What are West Coast doing? Up by 39 in the third, now down with not long to go.

Edit: Lucky. Would have been a disaster had they let that slip.
 

zbeeb

Member
Wow.
Just saw that. I checked the score 15-20 minutes ago and it was game over. What's happening over there?

It looks like they just don't have the fitness to play a full 4Q, that final quarter fade out has cost them before (Carlton) and almost cost them again today.

As a fan, its frustrating to watch. Stoked that they wont today at least, and the delivery into the forward 50 was much better than it's been all season.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
Melbourne are inspired. Last few plays have been outstanding.

Edit: What a game. That last bit was brilliant.
 

jambo

Member
Would've been amazing if the Tigers got up last night.

Good win by the Power today, gotta love those percentage boosters.
 

Andiie

Unconfirmed Member
Surprised no one took Gold Coast. Thought they had every chance of winning.

Good win by the Power today, gotta love those percentage boosters.

Looked like Schulz had a day out.
To think the game was close early on.

Edit: Not a great day. Happy Kersten impressed in his first game after pushing for selection for so long.
 

jambo

Member
1Kd1tsB.png



Friday June 27th
Geelong vs. Esssendon @ Etihad Stadium

Saturday June 28th
Hawthorn vs. Gold Coast @ Aurora Stadium
St Kilda vs. Richmond @ Etihad Stadium
Fremantle vs. West Coast @ Patersons Stadium
Sydney vs. Greater Western Sydney @ The SCG
Brisbane vs. North Melbourne @ The Gabba

Sunday June 29th
Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne @ Etihad Stadium
Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval
Collingwood vs. Carlton @ The MCG



Round 15 Teams
 

jambo

Member
1Kd1tsB.png



Friday July 4th
North Melbourne vs. Hawthorn @ Etihad Stadium

Saturday July 5th
Richmond vs. Brisbane @ The MCG
Greater Western Sydney vs. Adelaide @ GIANTS Stadium
Gold Coast vs. Collingwood @ Metricon Stadium
Melbourne vs. Fremantle @ TIO Stadium
Port Adelaide vs. Essendon @ Adelaide Oval

Sunday July 6th
Carlton vs. St Kilda @ Etihad Stadium
West Coast vs. Sydney @ Patersons Stadium
Geelong vs. Western Bulldogs @ Simonds Stadium



Round 16 Teams
 

AxeMan

Member
The good North have shown up.
That coupled with our injuries will be enough to get them the chocolates tonight
 
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