Dons grill team over drug use

AFLPA CEO Matt Finnis says the roles of club doctors and medical professionals are being diminished sports science.

Essendon coach James Hird asked his players if they took drugs. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: The Advertiser

ESSENDON has interrogated every player on its list about using performance enhancing drugs as it continues to examine every aspect of the drugs scandal.

Coach James Hird, who fronted a Bombers board meeting on Thursday night, and football department boss Danny Corcoran this week summoned each player to individual meetings.

A meeting was also held yesterday in Canberra where Bombers chairman David Evans and chief executive Ian Robson met senior ASADA officials to ascertain the process of the investigation.

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At Essendon, several crisis meetings involving all the playing staff have been held, one of which was headed by Evans.

The players were told at one meeting the club did not know if they had been given banned drugs.

At the Hird meetings, the players were asked: Is there anything you need to tell us? Is there anything the club needs to know?

Each player answered no.

Gatto denies link to betting company

Although the answer was expected, Hird is understood to have found great comfort from the meetings, further strengthening his belief that his players did not knowingly take performance enhancing drugs.

Sacked sports scientist Stephen Danks has denied he gave the players prohibitive drugs when using injections and intravenous drips when loading players with supplements.

Some of those injections were done off-site, across the road from Windy Hill.

Thursday night's board meeting heard everything from Danks' signing to his departure, his unorthodox practices, the signing of consent forms and why and the expectation ahead of the ASADA investigation.

Directors were told strength and conditioning coach Dean Robinson, who joined the club in 2012, insisted that Danks join him as his sports science sidekick.

Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich says their players have been injected with vitamin supplements, but all above board.

Robinson has been suspended pending the ASADA investigation, but he's not expected to to return to the club.

Evans said yesterday it had been an "extremely difficult'' week for the players and their families.

"There's going to be a lot speculaiton, about our players, about our club and possible sanctions but remember not one of our players has not tested positive for any banned substance or performancing drugs,'' he said.

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Cloud over Geelong's flags?

Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich says their players have been injected with vitamin supplements, but all above board.

Essendon high performance manager Dean Robinson worked at Geelong and Gold Coast, prompting the AFL to investigate those clubs. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

A SPECIAL AFL forensic team will investigate the operations of the two clubs who previously employed suspended Essendon high performance manager Dean Robinson.

Geelong and Gold Coast have been told the league's investigators will be putting the microscope over every aspect of their high performance departments.

Robinson, who was stood down by Essendon on Tuesday, joined Geelong in 2007 as its strength and conditioning coach before moving to the Suns at the end of 2010.

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Brisbane is also on the league's hit list after admitting Stephen Dank, the performance scientist who was brought to Essendon by Robinson and is the man at the centre of the scandal, had been briefly employed as a consultant to the Lions.

The AFL is planning to audit all clubs over their use of drugs and supplements with every training practice reviewed.

Geelong has maintained it has nothing to hide about the way it conducted its sports science and fitness departments during its stunning premiership run.

Gatto denies links to betting company

"Everyone in this organisation is accountable," chief executive Brian Cook said earlier. "That accountability is a high focus within our footy club.

"I'm confident we won't be implicated. The processes we use are pretty sound.

"The doctors are the only ones allowed to give injections, the doctors have to sign off any vitamin purchases made and we have a supplement register."

Geelong Football Club CEO Brian Cook with the 1st Brownlow Medal returned to the club. Picture: Glenn Ferguson Source: Geelong Advertiser

Despite the latest scandal, Cook said the club would continue to remain on the cutting edge of sports science.

For the past three years the Cats have had their own sports science advisory committee which is made up of elite sports scientists from across the country, including the Australian Institute of Sport.

Cook said while that committee was always looking for the next competitive advantage in the sports science area, it operated in a "very ethical framework'' that complied with Anti-Doping regulations.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire yesterday revealed the Pies had already conducted their own  audit of their sports science procedures including substances used by the club.

AFLPA CEO Matt Finnis says the roles of club doctors and medical professionals are being diminished sports science.

"We have already audited Collingwood two days ago and we are ready to come in with our ideas of what has to happen,'' McGuire said.

"After what happened in the last couple of days, we wanted to make sure everything is right and ship-shape at our club, to make sure we have the protocols in place.

"If there is anything to uncover I welcome it. One of the things that has been lost in translation is that we don't want to win a premiership by cheating. So we stand for sportsmanship. You have to stand up for that.''

Hawthorn has also conducted an audit which found players were only taking multivitamins and protein powder.

Brisbane coach Michael Voss said he was "not concerned at all'' about the club's links to Dank given the very "limited involvement'' the club had with him.

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Milne boots four in Seaford heat

Stephen Milne starred in St Kilda's first intraclub practice match of the year. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

AGELESS Stephen Milne set the pattern for another productive AFL season as a standout performer in St Kilda's first intraclub practice match today.

Milne booted four goals and set up at least another three with his renowned crumbing work in the forward line at Seaford.

The form of the 258-game veteran was high on coach Scott Watters' list of encouraging signs from the workout that lasted nearly two hours.

Watters said Milne was on a modified training program early in the pre-season to protect a minor knee problem.

But the 32-year-old stepped up his work when players resumed after the Christmas break.

Milne looked sharp and keen and the coach continued to marvel at his leadership and example for younger teammates.

He had a hand in two of fellow forward Terry Milera's three goals while another small forward Ahmed Saad also chimed in with two.

Beau Maister - formerly Wilkes - was impressive among the tall targets with three goals and midfielders Jack Steven and David Armitage were others to show impressive early touch.

Captain Nick Riewoldt, best and fairest winner Lenny Hayes, Sean Dempster, Adam Schneider and Rhys Stanley were the senior players to sit out the opening practice match.

Watters was the overseer of the game, supervised by a full complement of field and boundary umpires, that gave players short breaks every 10 or 15 minutes for onfield drinks in the heat.

Ruckman Ben McEvoy ran to the dressing rooms with a trainer midway through the match and didn't return. But

Watters said he was fine and the rest was only to manage his heavy workloads.

St Kilda starts its NAB Cup campaign against Adelaide and Port Adelaide in Adelaide tomorrow week.

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AFL vows to save our game

The AFL announce new measures to their Integrity Commission to catch drug cheats including more investigators and more drug testing.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou is adamant that cheating of any form in the AFL will not be accepted and you will be caught.

North Melbourne vice-captain and AFLPA board member Drew Petrie is shocked by the revelations by the ACC and welcomes the investigation.

Government ministers and the heads of Australian sporting codes are talking tough about widespread criminal elements in sport.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick address the media after the Australian Crime Commission released a report on drugs and organised crime in Australian sport. Source: Herald Sun

THE AFL has declared war on drug-takers and pushers as part of an unprecedented crackdown on criminals infiltrating the sport.

An emergency AFL Commission meeting yesterday fast-tracked a host of reforms to its drug code.

The league will require the name of every drug and/or supplement that is given to players by medical and sports science staff at the 18 clubs.

All club personnel will have background checks ordered and a whistleblower unit will be set up.

Responding to yesterday's Australian Crime Commission report, AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and chief executive Andrew Demetriou refused to share evidence of doping in the AFL, saying they were bound by confidentiality.

They said they were not aware of the number of players or clubs who had been identified by the ACC.

"We're not sure if it's a couple of individuals or more widespread at this stage, but we're going to find out," Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick said combating doping was the game's major priority.

"We feel the WADA testing was relatively successful to about 12 months ago, and it's become clear today it's not," he said.

"We're looking at moving as quickly as we can to make the sure the integrity, the fairness of the competition is reinforced.

"Our view is we're going to clean up the sport as quickly as we can."

It's understood the ACC has extracted information from criminal elements, and that at least one person central to the Essendon drugs scandal has been spoken to by the ACC.

Demetriou described yesterday as a "wake-up call", and that the AFL and the NRL - identified as the codes with the biggest integrity issues - needed greater resources to combat cheats.

"It would be fair to say after today there will be people at all of our clubs, working at all different levels, which would include players, that will have had a wake-up call," he said.

Adelaide Crows captain Nathan van Berlo surprised at the revelations revealed by the Australian Crime Commission.

"With this scrutiny they will be thinking, what should I do.

"I will say this, if you are out there and you think that you can run the gauntlet of cheating in this system, whether to be with the salary cap or the use of performance enhancing drugs, gambling etc, make no mistake you will be caught."

The AFL's strategy will be outlined to the four major heads of footy clubs - the chairman, the coach, the chief executive and football operations manager - who will be required to attend the AFL over the coming week.

The AFL reforms include:

A REVAMPING of the AFL's integrity unit, which includes more investigators, more technology, more intelligence gathering capabilities and more testing.

AN AUDIT of every club's use of supplements and other treatments.

THE AFL's medical officers to meet club doctor to review their practices and the use of external practitioners.

MANDATORY reporting of doping activity or when players are approached to take drugs.

REGISTRATION of all club staff, pointedly sports science staff and and high performance managers.

BACKGROUND checks on all club staff.

A WHISTLEBLOWER unit to help catch crooks.

Demetriou would not comment on the Essendon issue, but stressed some drugs were undetectable under current drug testing procedures.

"There are drugs out there not even approved for human use yet that are being trialled," he said.

Fitzpatrick said the game needed protecting from "insidious elements".

"Today's news from the Australian Crime Commission has shown us all Australian sport is not immune from the problems sport overseas have faced," he said.

"The world has changed and we have to respond to it."

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'The Pharmacist' set to tell all

Bombers midfielder Jake Melksham has injured his hand during a intra-club match.

Sports scientist Steve Dank is set to deliver an explosive interview. Source: news.com.au

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou is adamant that cheating of any form in the AFL will not be accepted and you will be caught.

Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy chats to Fox Sports News about the Bombers doping scandal, saying anyone found guilty should be banned from the AFL.

STEPHEN Dank, the man at the centre of the Essendon drugs saga, is set to deliver an explosive tell-all interview in which he pledges his innocence in the scandal that has rocked Australian sport.

After several days in hiding, sources close to Dank say the controversial sports scientist is ready to emerge from the maelstrom to fully explain his methods and declare he never administered illegal substances to athletes in the AFL or NRL.

It is understood Dank has completed a pre-recorded interview with ABC's 7.30 Report. It was scheduled to appear tonight but it is expected Dank's interview will now be aired Monday.

It is believed the man dubbed "The Pharmacist" has told sources he has nothing to hide ahead of the interview.

The former Essendon sports-science guru offered an emphatic "no" when asked by News Limited on Wednesday whether he had knowingly given or injected banned substances to Bombers players.

Robbo - The ugly day when belief died

But after staying silent for 48 hours as ASADA and the Australian Crime Commission ramp-up investigations into doping and alleged organised crime links, Dank is ready to open up, including detailed accounts of the practices he employed at various clubs including Essendon and former NRL premiers Manly.

A source close to Dank has scoffed at suggestions the former Essendon employee, nicknamed 'The Professor', peddled illegal substances to AFL or NRL clubs.

The source claimed Dank operated within the rules in the NRL and used mainly Vitamin B, Vitamin C and glutathiamine injections, which deliver antioxidants, with Essendon players.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou is adamant that cheating of any form in the AFL will not be accepted and you will be caught.

"Claims that Steve may have cheated at Manly are ridiculous," the insider said.

"He didn't go into peptides, he looked at DNA-profiling and the (Manly) club used injections with calves blood but that was never illegal.

"I can't see Dank helping out other NRL teams ... he did his own work."

A friend of Dank told News Limited this morning: "I have known Stephen for years and I can't see him getting into anything illegal.

AFL, NRL 'allowed cheating to fester'

"There is no doubt he is an offbeat sort of guy, he's very intelligent, very dedicated to sports science ... but whether he would be administering illegal substances, who knows?"

A 12-month investigation by the ACC released yesterday found illegal drugs were present in Australian sport and being facilitated by sports scientists, high-level coaches and sports staff.

A leading AFL conditioner, who has conducted extensive research into drugs in sport, explained why sporting teams would be playing with fire by using illegal peptides such as GHRP-6.

Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy chats to Fox Sports News about the Bombers doping scandal, saying anyone found guilty should be banned from the AFL.

"We would be naive if we thought it wasn't happening, but I don't know of anyone (in AFL or rugby league) who is using it," he said.

"There is no evidence to prove (using peptides) actually works.

"Peptides such as GHRP-6 are designed to produce growth hormone which helps with muscle mass, so if anything it would be more useful with rugby league athletes than those in the AFL.

"There are hundreds of peptides, some are legal and some are not, and that is what ASADA will have to work out.

Name the names of drug cheats and criminals in Australian sport or call it a crock says Robert Craddock.

"Most blokes in our field would not go near this stuff. There is no real research on the effects on the body and how effective it is.

"If Essendon are doing it, it is certainly not commonplace."

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Melksham breaks hand at intra-club

Bombers midfielder Jake Melksham has injured his hand during a intra-club match.

Jake Melksham broke his hand and will miss the NAB Cup opener. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: HWT Image Library

ESSENDON'S week from hell has taken another nosedive with silky midfielder Jake Melksham breaking his hand at training today.

Melksham joins captain Jobe Watson (knee) and David Zaharakis (quad) on the injury list ahead of the Bombers' NAB Cup opener next Friday night.

The 21-year-old will undergo surgery after the mishap in today's intra-club match. Melksham landed awkwardly on his hand in an attempt to win the ball.

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Coach James Hird said Melksham would return to training next week despite the setback.

"Jake will have the operation today but he will be back into training on Monday," Hird said.

"We look forward to him playing in the next two to three weeks."

The Bombers expect Melksham to return for Round 2 of the NAB Cup - a showdown with Richmond at Wangaratta next month.

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Trafficker worked with Hird in 2004

Convicted drug trafficker Shane Charter has links to Essendon legend James Hird. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

SHANE Charter - the convicted drug trafficker who may have supplied former Essendon sports scientist Steve Dank with supplements at the centre of footy's doping probe - has links to Bombers coach James Hird.

The Herald Sun can reveal Hird and Charter worked together for 12 months on his diet and fitness during the champion's premiership and Brownlow Medal-winning career.

Charter was also hailed as "the architect" behind Demon Shane Woewodin's 2000 Brownlow Medal win.

An Essendon spokesman told the Herald Sun today: "Shane Charter was introduced to James Hird by friends to give dietary advice to him and a number of his friends during 2003 and in early 2004.

"James has had no contact or communication with Mr Charter since, except when he ran into him in 2011.

"The relationship was never more than that."

Charter said in 2000, after Woewodin's win: "My life might be changing next year."

Of his program, Charter, then a full-time pharmaceutical company sales rep, said: "It's a multi-faceted program that involves nutrition, modifying training and also testing in terms of urine and blood analysis.

"It's very tailored. The system is individualised to cater for the individual's needs.

"Every player has different requirements in terms of his age, weight, energy, daily activity, repair to muscle tissue and vitamin, minerals and enzyme deficiencies.

"With Shane there were areas we could get large improvements.''

Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy says it's better to have doping "on the table" and investigated rather than covered it up.

The football operations general manager at Melbourne in 2000 was Danny Corcoran, who is now head of football at Essendon.

There is no suggestion that Woewodin or Hird ever took banned substances.

A Fairfax report today alleged Charter had worked closely with Dank while he was at Essendon last year to provide players with supplements.

Charter was arrested and found in possession of 100,000 pseudoephedrine-based tablets in 2004. He pleaded guilty and received a reduced prison sentence.

The Bombers on Monday requested ASADA and the AFL investigate the club's sports science program after concerns were raised about players being injected with supplements off site by a registered nurse.

Charlie Bezzina: Essendon probe must be exhaustive

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Act before it's too late: Sheeds

Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy says it's better to have doping "on the table" and investigated rather than covered it up.

GWS Giants coach Kevin Sheedy. Source: News Limited

REVERED AFL figure Kevin Sheedy has called on his sport to hunt down the drug cheats and banish them from before it is too late.

The GWS Giants coach spoke this morning following the dramatic media conference in Canberra.

Australian athletes across multiple sports are involved in doping and have links to organised crime groups, the major Government investigation has found.

Australia's day of sporting shame

The AFL is not immune and Sheedy said now was the time to strike or risk being overrun.

"We need to get rid of it - we need to find the people and eradicate them from the sport," he said.

"This is a rude awakening for a lot of people in all sports.

"I think when it comes out, whatever that report is going to say, we'll handle that correctly.

Trafficker worked with James Hird in 2004

"And that means for the players, player managers and clubs in general right throughout our sport and across all sports in general."

Sheedy said there would be consequences if the AFL did not act.

When asked if the AFL and other codes had done enough to prevent what has happened, he said:

"Well, you'll never know what is enough until you've eventually found out that's happened," he said.

Demetriou wages war on drugs

"I still struggle with the Tour de France debacle.

"That's alarms for me and I would look at that and would think what is happening in our sport is perfect for us to go in and go crunch straight away."

Sheedy also weighed into the issues at his former club Essendon.

The man who coached the Bombers to four premierships applauded the stance taken by the club.

"Essendon have done the right thing because in the end, we want to get that sorted out," he said.

How the codes responded today

"Essendon haven't been found guilty of anything.

"They just had basically an investigation, so we shouldn't really be jumping into them too much.

"But I'm glad they did what they did because it actually says to the public they are going to investigate this."

The legendary coach said he would not tolerate players being injected with substances without his knowledge.

"You'd want to know about that, because you'd stamp it out straight away," he said.

The key points that stunned a nation

"I'm pretty ruthless in this area.

"I don't know how these people infiltrate into football clubs."

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Fox: Get it done before Round 1

Hawthorn CEO Stuart Fox just wants the season to start. Source: News Limited

HAWTHORN chief executive Stuart Fox wants the investigation in to drugs and corruption in sport to start and end as quickly as possible to allow the football season to begin free of controversy.

Fox stressed he had 100 per cent confidence in his club's governance, but said the damning allegations serve as a wake-up call to all clubs regardless of whether or not they have anything to hide.

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Speaking from Hawthorn's community camp in Hobart, Fox said it would be unfortunate if the start of the season was overshadowed by the scandal.

"I think the most important thing is that the investigation gets underway pretty quickly and that the outcomes are communicated,'' Fox said.

"Simply because you don't want this lingering around during a football season because we want the members and supporters focussed on football and enjoying what football brings to the weekends.''

Fox said Hawthorn stands ready to help any investigation.

"It's a big issue and we're all concerned about it,'' he said.

"But the reality is there's going to be an investigation, it's probably started, and we just need to see what the outcomes are before anyone makes any sort of judgement.

"I think what it does for a club is just open up your eyes and makes you go back and check your own workplace to make sure you have got the right governance structures in place.

"I've always been confident Hawthorn is very good at its governance and that's because our board has set a structure in place around it and that's been driven through management rigorously.

"So while we still go through and investigate and have a look, I've always been confident about our club.''
 

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Players banned under drugs policy

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou. Source: Herald Sun

PLAYERS have been repeatedly forced to miss matches because of serious breaches of the league's controversial illicit drug policy.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou confirmed to Patrick Smith of The Australian yesterday that the policy had been used to ban players from participating in premiership matches but he said he did not believe confidentiality of any individuals had been compromised.

"Club doctors would tell the coach or the football manager that a certain player was not in a condition to play," Demetriou told The Australian here.

"He does not need to specify any injury or illness, just that he considers the player not well enough to play.

"It is not uncommon if a club doctor who is treating a player, for depression say, to tell the coach that the player is not available for selection because of illness."

AFL medical officer Peter Harcourt told last week's AFL summit on drugs - attended by all club chief executives - that players continued to be stood down while they were undergoing rehabilitation.

He told the summit a number of club doctors had been told by the AFL medical staff that the footballers concerned were "not fit to play".

It is not known if any player has been forced to miss a finals match under the code.

The Australian also believes that testing showed at least four players had tested positive twice to banned drugs last season.

Last year two clubs were counselled by the AFL that testing indicated there could be an adverse drug culture within the team.

One of those clubs was Collingwood, whose chief executive Gary Pert was behind the AFL's decision to convene last week's summit.

Pert had claimed that illicit drugs were the greatest threat to the health of the AFL and that they were the reason for players' ``volcanic behaviour''.

Under the controversial three-strikes policy, players who require rehabilitation will be tested for illicit drugs but any positive test will not count against them while they are under treatment.

However, no footballer can play in competition matches unless any drug tests are recorded and counted.

"You don't have to be on two strikes to be forced to stop playing," Demetriou said.

"If a player tests positive just once and the AFL medical officers believe he needs prolonged rehabilitation then he will not be allowed to play.''

Demetriou yesterday denied that the league treated drug addiction differently to the serious problems associated with alcohol and gambling.

"Players have been stood down from matches because they are being treated for gambling and alcohol addictions," he said.

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