Report on Hird ultimatum 'categorically untrue', say BombersBy Matt Thompson and AAP
9:57pm AEST Monday, August 5, 2013ESSENDON has categorically denied a report James Hird has been ordered to stand down while the timeline for a resolution to the supplements scandal remains unclear.
On a day of denials, the AFL was also forced to refute suggestions it was preparing to strip the Bombers' premiership points or that Andrew Demetriou's absence was having an adverse impact on the process.
The speculation about Hird's future emanated out of Adelaide, where former Crows skipper Mark Ricciuto took to radio station Triple M to report the Bombers coach had been given an ultimatum.
"I received a phone call earlier on from a man who would know, and said that his source, a very very reliable source ... has said that if James Hird doesn't resign by Thursday someone else might make the decision for him," Ricciuto told his South Australian audience.
The club was swift to deny Riccuito's claim.
"It's factually incorrect and categorically untrue," Essendon spokesman Justin Rodski told AFL.com.au on Monday night.
Such was the frenzy created by the radio story, Essendon was forced to issue a statement later on Monday night to all media describing Ricciuto's reporting as "baseless rumours."
"As a club we are incredibly frustrated by the decision of some sections of the media to report unfounded and untested gossip," the statement read.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-08-05/report-categorically-untrue
