Essendon face AFL probe/Players found Guilty by CAS

[one-eyed]

Texts reveal Stephen Dank discussed injecting Bombers with experimental racehorse drug

    Carly Crawford
    From: Herald Sun
    August 29, 2013

SPORTS scientist Stephen Dank discussed giving Essendon players a "new polymer" tested on American racehorses, text messages allegedly reveal.

And a doctor who worked with the sports scientist allegedly advised him against administering a drug the AFL believes was given to players, saying it had "more downside than upside".

The revelations come as AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou led the football world in appealing to Mr Dank to co-operate with anti-doping investigators.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's probe into Essendon's supplement program continues.

The Herald Sun understands there is a strong possibility doping charges could be brought against players and even officials.

A series of text messages seen by the Herald Sun show Mr Dank allegedly asked a pharmacist for help treating players last year, and suggested testing a blended substance on "a couple of players".

The Bombers' program was described as "pharmacologically experimental" after an internal review earlier this year.

On August 5 last year, Mr Dank and the pharmacist appear to discuss mixing Thymosin, the anti-obesity drug AOD9604 and an unnamed cell-repair agent, and giving it to players.

Dank: "Have we tried it on anyone yet?"

Pharmacist: "Few dental injections for periodontal sockets but not for sporting."
Dank: "Did they go all right with efficacy?"

Pharmacist: "Yep it did the job. Amazing repair properties."

Dank: "Let us test a couple of players."

It is not clear whether the blend was ever administered to anyone at Essendon.

One of the external doctors who treated Essendon players alongside Mr Dank had urged him not to use Melanotan II, according to evidence gathered as part of the ASADA probe.

The medic allegedly told Mr Dank last April there was "more downside than upside in terms of performance".

When approached by the Herald Sun, the doctor did not deny issuing the advice to Mr Dank, but declined to comment.

The AFL had alleged Essendon players and coach James Hird had been given Melanotan II, though Hird reportedly disputes using it.

ASADA has been unable to say if Melanotan II is banned, referring the Herald Sun to the World Anti-Doping Agency, which said it was among the substances being assessed for possible prohibition under the 'S0 category'.

Mr Dank, who's denied giving anything banned or harmful to anyone at Essendon, didn't return calls.

Players signed consent forms agreeing to take AOD9604 and Thymosin, according to evidence gathered in the AFL and ASADA probe into Essendon's 2012 supplements program.

The type of Thymosin has been closely examined, over concerns it may have been a dangerous, untested type banned for athletes.

As part of its contentious plea deal with the AFL, Essendon agreed there was a risk its players had been given banned drugs but there was nothing to show the club had set out to cheat.

The AFL released a range of text messages between key figures involved in the scandal last week to publicly demonstrate its disrepute case against the club.

 
FULL TEXT MESSAGE EXCHANGE BETWEEN DANK AND THE PHARMACIST

August 5, 2012

Dank: I need some help with this football team.

Pharmacist: Don't worry buddy. We can start them on the cocktails next week. When is there (sic) next game?

Dank: Next Sunday against North Melbourne.

Pharmacist: How are the soft tissue injuries looking?

Dank: S--. 2 more.

Dank: I know the mechanism.

Dank: Can the AOD and the Thymosin be mixed?

Pharmacist: I can test it out. Also, is there a problem with giving them an anaesthetic in the muscle? I have discovered a new polymer which will provide a slow release system while repairing damaged cell walls. Intramuscular injection.

Dank: No problems with that all.

Dank: Is it efficacious?

Pharmacist: Very much so. It's amazing and being used in the USA for elite horse racing. I can even put the thymosin and AOD in it.

Dank: Perfect let's get going.

Dank: Have we tried it on anyone yet?

Pharmacist: Few dental injections for periodontal sockets but not for sporting.

Dank: Did they go all right with efficacy?

Pharmacist: Yep it did the job. Amazing repair properties

Dank: Let us test a couple of players.

Pharmacist: Sounds good buddy. Speak soon.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/texts-reveal-stephen-dank-discussed-injecting-bombers-with-experimental-racehorse-drug/story-fndv8gad-1226706049266#mm-breached

[(•))(©™]

Ox -Lets try it on Hirdy's kids.

Pharmacist - He won't go for that.

Ox - stuff him. Don't tell him. Just slip it into their corn flakes.

Pharmacist - ok.

Ox - turd.

[one-eyed]

Dons warned on axing

  Jake Niall
     The Age
    August 29, 2013


The AFL made Essendon aware that the club could be stood down - removed from the competition immediately and taken out of the finals - before the club reached an agreement over the unprecedented penalties for bringing the game into disrepute.

While the AFL did not explicitly threaten the Bombers with removal from the competition under rule 1.5A (G) - the one that can also see players ''stood down'' and effectively suspended on the spot - the club was mindful that this was an option for the league as the parties fought over the settlement that eventually ended with the Bombers out of the finals, forfeiting draft picks and fined $2 million with their senior coach James Hird and football operations chief Danny Corcoran suspended.

Had the AFL stood Essendon down - under the same rule that was contemplated for St Kilda forward Stephen Milne when he was charged with rape and which the governing body chose not to exercise then - the Bombers could have sought a court injunction, but they might have risked any premiership points penalties dragging into 2014, a situation all parties wished to avoid.

But Essendon won a small victory in the marathon negotiations - yet to be officially announced - when the AFL agreed that it would take no action against other coaches and staff who have not been charged - meaning coaches Simon Goodwin and James Byrnes will escape any penalty for their peripheral role in the scandal. Goodwin can therefore remain on the coaching panel and possibly be a candidate to hold Hird's position for the next 12 months if the decorated Mark Thompson does not want the job.

Stephen Dank, the controversial chemist whom AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said had much to answer for in the saga, alleged back in April that Hird, Goodwin and Byrnes were administered with substances that are banned for players (but not coaches). The AFL's original charge sheet said a number of Essendon staff - not simply coaches - were injected with various substances, including the banned Hexarelin, SARM 22 and AOD-9604.

Fairfax Media understands that the AFL has taken the view that other staff, even if they made mistakes, were not key decision-makers and thus were not as accountable as Hird, Corcoran, Thompson and Dr Bruce Reid for what happened in the disgraced 2012 supplements program that has seen Essendon removed from the finals.

In other developments from the formal conclusion to Essendon's saga, it can be revealed that:

■ Hird's speech to the AFL commission opened and closed with apologies - and was viewed favourably by those present, including the AFL Commission. Hird's first sentence contained the words ''I'm sorry'' and the suspended coach went on to passionately defend his position, saying he was not a drug cheat.

■ The AFL initially ''offered'' Essendon a fine of $3 million and was intent on not allowing the Bombers to trade back into the first two rounds of the 2013 and 2014 drafts when negotiations started. This tough stance had been relaxed somewhat by last week.

■ In the eventual settlement, the club lost the same four draft picks, was fined $2 million but was allowed to trade into those drafts and was awarded a draft selection at the end of the first round in 2014.

■ Fairfax Media understands the AFL did not want Essendon to play in the finals for the sake of the competition's integrity, and the league needed a settlement soon.

■ While Hird is suspended immediately, Corcoran will work at the club until the end of September, at which point his four-month suspension (with two months suspended sentence) begins. Chairman Paul Little has confirmed Hird will be awarded a two-year contract extension, beginning once his suspension is served.

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/dons-warned-on-axing-20130828-2sqxi.html

[WilliamPowell]

just been reading about the amount of father sons they have coming through

Some talent there like Neagle. Unfortunately due to Jimmys incompetence Neagle wont be at Windy hill.

Can someone clear up the father son rule for me

As it stands now their 1st pick is the 3rd round.

On  Monday of trade week(I believe this is when father/sons are nominated) they may get out bidded, say by GWS.

Do they have until the end of trade week to come up with a better offer to match GWS or whatever their best offer is on Monday of trade week, is what their stuck with.

They would use their next available pick. Neagle is ordinary. Late-rookie pick.

Interestingly when Crows got banned they couldn't take any F/S picks at all.

Funnily Essendon have a highly rated F/S next year and could be nominated before that pick 19 they were given. /tinfoilhat

I thought that if GWS offered say "bid" with their nd round pick the Bomber had to offer their next pick in the same round; that is they wpuld have to use their 2nd round pick to match GWS in the bidding process

And in this case because the Bumblings dont' have a 2nd round pick to bid with then they would not has access to the F/S pick

 

[Francois Jackson]

That's how I understood it WP

Ramps
MT

Anyone confirm?

[tigs2011]

Who?

Michael Long's kid I think.

[Judge Roughneck]

1.  Fitzpatrick comments last night -  "cant say prohibited substance weren't takn". Vlad "asada investigation ongoing"
2. Some of the charges in the full charge sheet: prohibited substance term used often
 3. The charge sheet from last Wednesday: tb4 via charters/china/dank/injection s
 4. The dank / McKenzie interview: tb4 admission
5. The age article in regards to players telling Asada they were on tb4
6. Bomber saying last night of FC AdofHirdler had been warned about peptides

#StandByWADA

7. Dank txts to Pharmacist

Experiment horse drugs

[tigs2011]

  hope they get hammered again soon. Would be hilarious.

[WilliamPowell]

That's how I understood it WP

Ramps
MT

Anyone confirm?

daniel, Going by an article in today's HUN that i've just read, how I described it is how it works see below    
=======================================================================

Essendon have to hope rivals don't bid for potential father-son stars in 2013 and 2014
by: Jon Ralph and Jay Clark
•From: Herald Sun
•August 28, 2013 10:39PM

ESSENDON will be wiped out of all early father-son bidding for the next two years, despite having a selection before the second round of next year's draft.
 
The AFL confirmed on Wednesday that the limitations negotiated as part of the supplements program sanctions would severely restricted the Bombers' future father-son options.

The club's junior talent program, ironically labelled the James Hird Academy, has identified dozens of Baby Bombers for future drafts.

They include the sons of club legends Paul Vander Haar, Michael Long, Chris Daniher and Dean Wallis.

At this stage there is no star like Joe Daniher among the next two years of picks, but players can make dramatic improvements over a single season.

Big man Callum Daniher and midfielder Todd Vander Haar are available this year and speedster Jake Long can be taken next year, although early indications are that none are yet first-round picks.

The best the Bombers can offer for a father-son is a third-round pick, so if any club bids a first or second-round selection they will get the player.

The Bombers offering their first pick in the draft - a third-round pick - is not enough to snare the player if there is a higher bid.

And they cannot use their newly allocated selection at the end of the first round in next year's draft for father-son purposes.

Neither can they trade back into the early selections to use as father-son picks, because father-son selections are made just before the trade period commences.

The AFL confirmed the additional selection which could be pick 19 - handed to them after intense negotiations - could not be used for father-son selections.

"They have a pick after Round 1 but that pick has been inserted into the national draft so it cannot be used on a father-son," AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said.

"They have no father-son rights for Rounds 1 and 2, and cannot bid on another club's father-son players."

Full article:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-have-to-hope-rivals-dont-bid-for-potential-father-son-stars-in-2013-and-2014/story-fngeflq8-1226706093372

   

[Francois Jackson]

hahahahaah

there it is. nice work.   

Another own goal by Jimmy

[gerkin greg]

they'll just get the boys to tank so no-one bids, hardly a problem

they have tampered the draft the last two years already with Heppell and Kavanspud

[Chuck17]

hope they get hammered again soon. Would be hilarious.

Hopefully a succession of hammerings over off season will keep things interesting

[Judge Roughneck]

We should drafr efc f/s just to shyte them 

[1965]

Re Father Son picks for EFCV

They will just get the boys not to nominate until 2016 under the promise of an increased salary and a longer contract.

 

[wayne]

The James Hird academy 

Those kids have probably been jabbed already.

Daniher definitely was, the side effects were horrifying.