Not the End
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” So said Winston Churchill in November 1942. In January 2016 those same words aptly describe the current situation at the AFL. On Tuesday 12 January 2016 WADA found thirty-four players guilty of being injected with the banned substance Thymosin beta-4 during the 2012 season. The full statement can be found here (1).
Essendon’s management initially expressed shock and bemusement at the decision. I’m shocked and bemused that anyone could be shocked or bemused at this decision. I’m shocked and bemused that there are still people willing to excuse the behaviour of the Essendon football club or any of the players found guilty.
Essendon President Lindsay Tanner has described the penalty imposed on the 34 players as manifestly unfair (2). It’s evidence that even now the Essendon football club simply doesn’t understand the obligations of sports professionals and the organisations that employ them.
It’s quite simple. Players should not ingest illegal substances. Players are responsible for any substances they ingest. There is significant evidence that the players are guilty of ingesting Thymosin beta-4. Enough evidence for WADA to find them guilty. The substance in question was a part of a program at Essendon which all players were expected to be a part of. Sporting organisations should not make illegal substances available to their players.
Just as concerning as Tanners statement is the absurd idea that the AFL has acted appropriately throughout this saga. League Chief Gillon Mclachlan has said that he has no regrets about the case (3). Well Gil, just as a heads up mate, WADA feels differently which is why they appealed.
Specifically, WADA said “If the AFL Tribunal’s decision had prevailed, it would have set a damaging precedent for future non analytical anti-doping cases; and, therefore, been detrimental for anti-doping efforts worldwide.” ASADA also released a statement which claimed that WADA used the same evidence that it presented to the AFL anti-doping tribunal, however "the different outcome represents the proper application of the burden of proof - comfortable satisfaction - as intended by the World Anti-Doping Code". (4)
So Gil, what chances do you think the AFL has of growing the game internationally when their own tribunal so clearly got it wrong on this important issue which you have no regrets over? There have even been some unsubstantiated reports that some people in the AFL have suggested the AFL should not operate along the substance abuse guidelines provided by WADA. This kind of silliness reminds me of what used to come out of former Soviet Republics attempting to defend their ludicrous swimming/gymnastic/weightlifting programs.
Perhaps speak to Australian athletes in other fields on this issue. There is a total lack of sympathy for the players and the administration and rightly so.
Grow.
Up.
Gillon.
Just to cap it all off Mclachlan’s official statement ends with this. “It is our understanding that this is now the conclusion to this matter, after some three years, although limited appeal rights do exist through the Federal Court of Switzerland in some instances.”(5). Wrong again Gil. It’s not the end, just the beginning of it.
(1) http://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Arbitral_Award_WADA_ESSENDON.pdf
(2) http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2016-01-12/lindsay-tanner-statement