"We obviously won't train properly, it's all about recovery; it's all about the high performance guys, we will leave the guys in their hands." - James Hird before Anzac Day, 2012 Source: Herald Sun
ESSENDON'S rushed preparations for last year's Anzac Day game against Collingwood will come under close scrutiny by anti-doping investigators.
The Bombers had a 94-hour turnaround between their match against Carlton on April 21 and the Magpies clash on April 25.
The recovery period was managed by fitness staff Dean Robinson and Stephen Dank.
A source said yesterday: "The whole season will be scrutinised but heavy scrutiny will be on the period leading up to Anzac Day."
The Bombers beat Carlton by 30 points and lost to Collingwood by a point.
The activities of Dank and Robinson, which included the use of injections and intravenous drips, are at the centre of an Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation into the possible use of performance-enhancing drugs by the club last year.
In the lead-up to Anzac Day, coach James Hird said about the four-day turnaround: "We obviously won't train properly, it's all about recovery; it's all about the high performance guys, we will leave the guys in their hands."They made one change for Anzac Day - Michael Hurley out, Jake Carlisle in.
Hird said after the Blues game "there would be five or six that probably won't get up for the Collingwood game in four days time".
The Herald Sun is not suggesting Bombers players did use performance-enhancing drugs and Dank has strongly denied anything inappropriate was administered.
Calls to sack Hird off the mark
But if proved, a ban of six months to two years can be levied at players, even if use was without their knowledge.
Spotlight moves to the coaches
Club chiefs told the players' parents on Monday night that, in their knowledge, banned drugs were not given to the players.
Buckley wants more specifics
Parents were told the club had documented each and every supplement supplied to players during the season.
Those electronic documents will be given to ASADA.
Essendon boss Ian Robson responds to calls for heads to roll following Stephen Dank's interview last night.
As the Bombers prepare to open all aspects of their club to the ASADA inquiry, it can be revealed:
HIRD and assistant coach Mark Thompson had a disagreement over Robinson in December.
DANK had his authority curbed about halfway through last season.
ESSENDON continued its supplement program while Dank took a back seat. He left the club at the end of the year.
The Thompson-Hird disagreement is understood to have centred on whether Robinson should continue as high-performance manger.
Hird wanted a review of the position and Thompson wanted Robinson to continue.
Sponsorship standoff hurting clubs
That Robinson had two years to run on a contract worth up to $300,000 a year helped sway the decision to continue with Robinson, although his suspension after the announcement of the ASADA inquiry suggests his career at Essendon is over.
Dank last week told the Herald Sun he had not given players banned drugs.
The Bombers are bracing for a forensic examination of their supplement regimen including what was administered and the amount.
Coaches, players and support staff will be interviewed. Clubs officials refused to comment yesterday on the investigation.
Coach James Hird (back on) instructs the team as a group during an Essendon training session at Tullamarine last week. Picture: Hamish Blair Source: Herald Sun
WINDY HELL: ESSENDON'S PRE-SEASON WOES
LATE NOVEMBER, 2012
Essendon denies to the Herald Sun that it has concerns over its sports science department after sacking sports scientist Stephen Dank.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Essendon again denies to the Herald Sun that it has an issue in its sports science department, particularly around performance-enhancing supplements.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Essendon holds a press conference at AFL House where it announces it has asked the AFL and Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to investigate the club over concerns players may have been unknowingly given supplements that do not comply with the WADA code. It is revealed that Bombers players received off-site injections of supplements in the stomach.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Dank denies to the Herald Sun that he gave Essendon players banned supplements, feared to be banned peptides.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7
- The ACC, Federal Government and a coalition of major sporting bodies front a press conference in Canberra as the ACC releases a report saying performance-enhancing drug use is widespread in Australian sport and that there is also of links to organised crime and concern about match-fixing.
- The AFL Commission holds an extraordinary meeting and announces that the league's integrity department will be beefed up.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10
AFL second in command Gillon McLachlan confirms the league has been made aware that a player at a second club is also under investigation for possible use of performance-enhancing drugs.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11
- The AFL refuses to alert the second club on the advice of its lawyers.
- The 17 clubs other than Essendon tell the Herald Sun that they have not been contacted by the ACC or the AFL in relation to the matter.
- Dank appears on ABC TV and declares some Essendon coaches had taken WADA-banned supplements.
- He again denies administering banned drugs to players.
YESTERDAY
- Sources close to Essendon say they expect heavy scrutiny over the short turnaround between Round 3 win over Carlton and the Anzac Day clash.
- It emerges Hird and Thompson in December had a disagreement over whether Robinson should stay at the Dons, Hird pushing for his departure.
WHERE THE INVESTIGATION STANDS
- ASADA and AFL investigators will interview all Essendon players and officials, as well as other relevant parties.
- Samples taken during the 2012 season likely to be flown to Cologne for special testing for peptides.
- Electronic and other records relating to supplement program will be examined.
- Details about investigations into the second club remain unknown.
WHAT THE MAIN PLAYERS SAY
JAMES HIRD, COACH
"I'm shocked to be sitting here. As a coach, I take full responsibility for what happens in our footy department. It's my belief we've done everything right." - February 5
DAVID EVANS, CHAIRMAN
"This is a minefield ... we've received information that's concerned us." - February 5
STEPHEN DANK, FORMER BOMBERS SPORTS SCIENTIST
On what the Bombers' hierarchy knew: "There was a very significant involvement from Dean (Robinson) as the high-performance manager, there was detailed discussion with James Hird, there was detailed discussion with the club doctor (Bruce Reid). They were sort of the main people involved in the knowledge of the program."
On coaches taking supplements: "A couple of coaches were using supplements that were a little bit outside the WADA code but, again, they were entitled to it and nothing illegal in those". - February 11
ANDREW DEMETRIOU, AFL CHIEF EXECUTIVE
"Under the ASADA rules whether you knew or not it's no excuse . . . they are the WADA rules." - February 5
What do you think of the ACC report and its effect on the NRL and AFL? Who's to blame? Will you still support your team? Do you think players are clean?
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