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AFL boss Andrew Demetriou has publically anounced the charges Essendon will be facing, while also confirming a meeting of all club presidents will be held in the near future.
A former member of the AFL's anti-drug tribunal tells AFL 360 the supplement at the centre of the Essendon scandal was "not illegal".
Essendon coach James Hird leaves his Toorak home after the AFL today released details of the charges the football club and its senior officials face. Source: HeraldSun
ESSENDON has declared war on the AFL, with coach James Hird saying he had been ambushed by the league with its release of charges against the club.
Bombers chairman Paul Little and Hird appeared at the Olsen Hotel in South Yarra to accuse the AFL of deliberately smearing Hird's reputation.
Hird said he would fight the charges released by the AFL, and revealed there was a different set of charges agreed to after a week's haggling.
Little said the fact the AFL had known AOD-9604 was not banned for six months but had not alerted the public was ''reprehensible''.
''That the AFL has known this for six months but let questions hang over the head of the club and most unforgivably our players, is reprehensible,'' he said.
''We do not consider the statement of charges is justified by the evidence gathered by the investigation. We have always maintained AOD-9604 is not a prohibited substance in 2011-2012 and advice of professional experts has supported this
''Since receiving these charges I have personally been in constant dialogue with the AFL in which both parties have attempted to have the charges reworked and reach common ground in relation to possible sanctions should the club plead guilty. The AFL was aware of the failings of the original charge sheet. The revised charge sheet has been posted on our website.''
"The AFL is determined to punish Essendon and the Essendon Football Club and the four individuals involved as though we were drug cheats.
"I cannot and will not accept that, like all football followers and football fans, I cannot accept that point of view and we want this matter resolved as soon as possible," Mr Little said.
A furious Hird again asked Andrew Demetriou to stand down from any commission hearing, saying an independent judge should hear any charges.
''The AFL today continued its trial by media of me. We only received notification minutes before the AFL charges were made public.
''Furthermore the letter from Bruce Reid released is a breach of due process. The letter released in isolation is designed to damage my reputation. These charges are denied and will be vigorously contested once the AFL provides due process.
''The announcement by ambush confirms the AFL is running an agenda, which continues to call into question its impartiality.
''The AFL should recuse themselves of any part of this case. And there should be a public hearing conducted transparently by an independent arbiter.''
Earlier, AFL chief Andrew Demetriou says details of the charges handed down to Essendon and four of its senior officials had to be released to end speculation.
But Demetriou was adamant the charges were purely alleged, and that the Essendon Football Club and its officials, James Hird, Danny Corcoran, Dr Bruce Reid and Mark Thompson, had "every opportunity" to defend themselves.
"The AFL highlights that the Statement of Grounds contains the charges only and their correctness or otherwise remains to be determined," Demetriou said today.
"The Essendon Football Club and other parties will be given every reasonable opportunity to answer these charges.
"There has been no predetermination of this matter by the AFL Commission.
"The AFL Commission has an open mind about whether Essendon has breached the AFL rules and regulations.
"I have decided that for the sake of everyone involved in the game – supporters, players, clubs and other key partners – that there must be transparency and clarity around this issue given the widespread speculation since the charges were announced on August 13."
Copies of the State of Grounds and ASADA report has been made available to the AFL Players' Association to distribute to Essendon players and their families.
AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick has also called a special meeting of the 18 club presidents for Thursday.
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou fronts the media at AFL House. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: HeraldSun
The Herald Sun last Friday exclusively revealed details from the charge sheets.
The charge sheets include revelations that:
ESSENDON players were to receive 1500 injections of AOD-9604 and Thymosin and more than 16,500 doses of Colostrum and 8000 doses of Tribulus.
THE program was to push the legal limits.
THE program involved the use of allegedly ``beneficial'' and ``exotic'' compounds.
THE program's fitness strategy and use of supplements varied sharply to previous practices at Essendon.
IT involved injecting players with abnormal frequency.
THAT club figures were aware that the implementation of the program was determined without meaningful input from appropriately qualified people.
Which type of Thymosin – banned Beta 4 or permitted Thymosin Alpha is not specified in the charge sheets.
Last night, a forner member of the AFL's Anti-Doping Tribunal claims he was told in February that AOD-9604 was safe and not prohibited.
Essendon champion Tim Watson today called on AFL chief Andrew Demetriou to explain why the AFL did not reveal the information earlier.
Dr Andrew Garnham, currently working as a consultant for the Essendon Football Club, said scientific evidence showed AOD-9604, the substance at the centre of the Bombers' supplements saga, had minimal side effects.
"Like all drugs, there are some side effects, but we know that those side effects are minimal," Garnham told AFL 360.
"The advice that I had at that time was that AOD-9604 was considered under section S2 of the anti-doping code and was regarded as not prohibited."
HIRD DEMANDS DETAILS OF CHARGES
Garnham said "preliminary laboratory work" suggested that AOD-9604 could repair injured cartilage, muscle and bone.
"(AOD-9604) may assist in the recovery of footballers where they obviously get fairly heavily knocked around in the course of the game, so it may just bring them up a day or two quicker," he said.
"I understand it was on the basis of that possibility that it may have been used by football clubs, but at this stage, from scientific perspective we could really say that evidence is way way too early to give it any credence."
MEDICS ALLAY PLAYER PARENTS' FEARS
Speaking on SEN radio this morning, Garnham could not say if the drug was legal in 2012 when it was a key part of the Bombers' controversial supplement program.
It is believed Essendon players and partners were given the same information last night at an information session at Windy Hill as the Bombers prepare to take on the AFL over the supplements scandal.
"This parents meeting is the fifth in a series of meetings we've had with parents. The club takes the task of briefing parents very seriously," Bombers chairman Paul Little said.
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When asked before the meeting whether the club would inform parents of the type of supplements administered to players, Mr Little replied, "We will wait to see what questions they ask about the supplements."
CHAIRMAN MUST STEP IN TO END STANDOFF
Essendon great Tim Watson left feeling vindicated following latest revelations on Bombers' drugs scandal.
Meanwhile, the AFL is running out of time to decide Essendon's fate before the finals after the Bombers requested an adjournment late yesterday.
Just hours after AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said he expected the case against the Bombers to go ahead as scheduled at Monday's AFL commission meeting, the club issued a brief statement saying it was not ready.
"Essendon Football Club has requested an adjournment of the hearing on 26 August." the statement said.
"Lawyers for the club requested the AFL advise which witnesses it would be calling, the evidence it expected those witnesses would give and specified procedural matters.
"As the AFL has not provided that information, the club is not in a position to proceed next week and that is why the matter needs to be adjourned."
Demetriou said earlier if the Bombers did request a delay, it would likely be granted.
The four individuals facing charges - coach James Hird, assistant Mark Thompson, football manager Danny Corcoran and club Dr Bruce Reid - had already been given more time to prepare their defences.
If the issue is not settled on Monday, it leaves only 10 more days before the start of the finals.
"If the AFL gives us the time we need to prepare for this, there is little chance it will be finished before the finals," Little said.
HOW THE AFL CAN PING ESSENDON
Talks are continuing between representatives of Essendon and the AFL in a bid to reach a settlement.
"The commission meeting is still going ahead next Monday because as I stand here we believe that Essendon Football Club will appear next Monday," Demetriou said earlier today at the MCG.
THOMPSON: I'M 90 PER CENT INNOCENT
"If there is an extension sought and granted, then we'll have to look at our options as the AFL Commission, but our assumption is that it's going ahead next Monday and I have no reason to believe that it won't."
If the club is found guilty, possible penalties include a fine, loss of future draft picks and being wiped of premiership points that would rule the club out of this year's finals - if the penalty is handed down in time
AFL BLINK A SMALL WIN FOR BOMBERS
Demetriou said he had no intention of bowing to Essendon demands he step aside from hearing the case, and repeated his preference for an open hearing, although that is yet to be confirmed.
Essendon coach James Hird says he's pleased he has more time to prepare to face charges against him.
He also said details of the charges against the Bombers were likely to be released "in coming days".
"It's important to make those public to answer lots of questions and put to bed some of the misinformation that's out there. I couldn't give you an exact day but it's our intention."
BOMBERS NEED A MIRACLE
Demetriou said it wasn't unusual for extensions to be granted for accused parties to prepare their defence - as happened last year in the Kurt Tippett saga.
"It's not unusual and it's appropriate if people want more time ... there are thousands of pages of documents and people need to prepare.
"It would be preferable to have the matter heard next Monday, particularly to provide certainty for not just the football industry but all our supporters but the supporters of the Essendon Football Club and the Essendon Football Club itself."
Last Tuesday, AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said: "The parties have been informed of the charges and that a hearing of the charges is scheduled to be held on Monday 26 August at AFL House.''
But all parties were informed by the league's lawyers that they would be granted extra time "to prepare adequately'' if required.
Melbourne, Australia - August 17th: Round 21: Essendon v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, Docklands. Essendon coach James Hird Picture: George Salpigtidis Source:
Charges of bringing the game into disrepute were laid by the AFL last Tuesday against the club, Hird, assistant coach Mark Thompson, football boss Danny Corcoran and club doctor Bruce Reid over Essendon's 2012 supplements program.
Essendon's hopes of playing finals have recieved a boost, with the AFL providing extra time to prepare their defences.
AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan said last month the league wanted the saga resolved before September.
"We're committed to bringing it to a head in August to ensure that we have a resolution of the issue prior to the finals series,'' McLachlan said.
"I think it goes to the heart of the integrity of our finals series.''
But the AFL and Essendon have been unable to strike a mutually acceptable deal.
- with Gilbert Gardiner, Al Paton and Angus Thompson
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