The Essendon Supplement Scandal

The Essendon Supplement Scandal

The events that unfolded early February 2013 involving the Essendon Football club were shocking as they were complex.  Following a 12 month investigation by the Australian Crime Commission which particularly targeted Drugs in The National Rugby League and the Australian Football league; revelations from the Essendon club and former players prompted the AFL and ASADA (Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority) to begin an investigation into the clubs supplement programme during the 2012 season. The findings shocked both the AFL and the Australian sporting community labelling 2012 as “the darkest year in AFL history” (The Australian 28 August 2013, p.36).

The issue came to a head when the Essendon Football Club’s dealings with sport scientist Stephen Dank came under investigation and were considered suspicious. The Essendon club invited ASADA and the AFL to investigate their sport science program in 2012 which was over seen by Mr Dank. The investigation prompted Essendon to stand down their High performance coach Dean Robinson almost immediately (Herald Sun 2013).                                                                                                                                     

The shocking findings of the investigation revealed that the Club’s players were urged to have approximately 40 injections during the 2012 AFL season. Possibly the most shocking part of the findings was that Mr Dank accused the clubs head coach, James Hird, was also administered with these injections (Herald Sun 2013). Mr Dank stated that all involved where completely aware of what was happening “I’m certainly very surprised given how much time we spent discussing it with them (Players and coaching staff)” (The Age 6 February 2013, p.2). Further allegations were raised when Mr Dank told the Essendon club that he received a letter from WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) which stated that the drugs he wished to administer where cleared as legal. However, it became apparent that this was not true when an email from WADA to Mr Dank prompted him to contact ASADA as “drug preparation may vary between countries” (Jane Kuersch Journalism 2013). It was then revealed that the Essendon players did sign consent forms that prescribed weekly injections of an illegal substance. However, According to Essendon, this doesn’t prove that they were administered with the injections (Herald Sun 2013). ASADA then commenced interviews with Essendon players, quizzing them on around 35 substances linked to the Club and their former sport scientist Mr Dank. This revealed that at least of 6 of these substances were banned for athletes (Herald Sun 2013). The nail in the coffin was in June when star player for Essendon, Jobe Watson on national television admitted to have been injected with one of these illegal substances. He declared that “I signed that consent form” and “I believed it was legal at the time” (Herald Sun 2013).   

                                                                                                                           

The events that have occurred over the past year have been a long, grueling and painful process for all involved. It has forced the governing bodies to react in a shift and severe way to protect the image and reputation of the AFL and indeed Australian sport as a whole. The Penalties handed down by the AFL and ASADA were the most severe in the AFL’s history and has caused controversy itself. The penalties included large fines, loss of draft picks and several members of the club being fined, banned or they have stood down in disgrace.                                                       

In May, Ian Robinson stood down as Essendon’s CEO as he felt a strong responsibility for the scandal saying he is accountable for everything that happens to the club, even there supplement programs even though he played no part in it or knew anything about it “We let down our players and their families, I sit here today saying that our club let those people down and there is no excuse in not knowing” (Herald Sun 2013). Chairman David Evans also resigned in June for quiet puzzling reasons. Although playing no part in the scandal, the night after Essendon lost a game against Hawthorn, he suffered a physical breakdown.  Mr Evans complained of breathlessness, lighted headedness and struggling vision (Herald Sun 2013).              

However, it was members of the coaching staff that were involuntarily penalized as they did play a role in the scandal. Despite strong support from Essendon fans, Head coach James Hird has been banned for 12 months from the club and a decision will be made over the next couple of weeks who his temporary replacement will be (The Age 17 September 2013, p.40). Although, there have been strong claims that it is no longer whether Mr Hird should couch Essendon again; it is whether he should ever couch again. “A man with such flawed judgement, so disconnected from what is actually happening about him, is surely a permanent risk” (The Weekend Australian 24 August 2013, p.41).  Mr Hird has been humble about his ban stating he is “deeply sorry and does take a level of responsibility for what happened” (The Herald 28 August 2013, p.81). Assistant coach Mark Thompson has been fined $30,000 and the club manager, Danny Corrora has been banned for 6 months for their role in the scandal (AFL 2013). It is also the clubs it’s self that has been punished both in the short term and long term. The clubs had been fined a total of 2 million dollars for bringing the game into disrepute and also ejected from the 2013 finals (AFL 2013). This ejection would have been a major blow for the club and the players as they were big contenders in the completion in the lead up to the finals. In the long term, the club has also been stripped of draft picks for the coming 2014 season (AFL 2013). This will obviously affect their team and the club in not only next season but seasons following as well.  

The Essendon supplement scandal has both shocked and negatively affected the AFL, ASADA, The Essendon football club, their fans and the Australian sporting community. The investigation that revealed the controversy has indeed put a stain on the AFL’s and Essendon’s reputation as both professional organisations and role models for their great game. However, this will be a wake up call for all sporting codes in Australia and will hopefully bring positive changes in to avoid any further event that further damage professional sport in Australia and the world.

By Jordan Reeve

Reference

Denham, G 2013, ‘Bombers bracing for more penalties’, The Australian, 29 August, p.36.

Fairfax, J 2013, ‘Dark days cast shadow over field of dreams’, Sydney Morning Herald, 31 August, p.9

Gleeson, M. Nial, J 2013, ‘Essendon engulfed by drug controversy’, The Age, 6 February, p.2

Herald Sun 2013, ‘Essendon drug scandal: The story so far’, Herald Sun Sport, viewed 14 September, http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-scandal-the-story-so-far/story-fni5f6kv-1226635822954

Hogan, J 2013, ‘Essendon reveals panel to find Hird replacement’, The Age, 17 September, p.40

Kuerschner, J 2013 ‘Public Relations Austrlian Sports Investigation’ Viewed 20 September,  http://janekuerschjournalism.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/public-relations-essay-australian-sports-investigation/

Le Grand, C 2013, ‘AFL to drop case against doctor’, The Australian, 13 September, p.1-2.

Minear, T 2013, ‘Essendon booted from finals’, The Herald Sun, 28 August, p.81

Phelan, J 2013 ‘Essendon punished: as it happened’, Viewed 19 September, http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-08-27/live-updates-dons-at-afl-house

Smith, P 2013, ‘Couch must answer for arrogance’, The Weekend Australian, 24 August, p.41

Smith, P 2013, ‘Hard lessons to be learned from year of chemical chaos’, The Australian, 28 August, p. 36.

Overview of Drugs in Sport Throughout History

Overview of Drugs in sport throughout history

The topic of Drugs in sport has been an ongoing issue in Australian and world sport since the ability for athletes to have access to these banned substances began. This concept of “ doping” began as early as Ancient Greek times when early Olympians used extract of mushrooms and plants seeds to enhance their sporting performance, even as early as the Roman period mix drugs where fed to horses and even gladiators doped during the vigorous fights which where held during this time (Turfman, S.T, 2004).

The use of drugs in sport however has transformed dramatically since it began with new forms of doping methods developing as agencies such as the world anti doping agency (WADA) have continued to crack down on these illicit substances being used to increased sporting performance the elite level. The types doping mechanisms that have been used in recent times include anabolic steroids such as erythropoietin, human growth hormones, beta agonists and diuretics. This use of drugs has transformed into other methods of doping such as blood doping, gene doping and chemical and physical manipulation through tampering with samples and infusing different bloods and genes (S, Patil 2012). 1976 was the first major step towards abolishing the use of banned substances on the world stage when The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned the use of steroids, however high profile and disgraced athletes such as the ex women’s 100 meters world record holder Marion Jones and US home Run record holder Barry bonds used steroids such Tetrahydrogestrinone that weren’t traceable by world doping agencies, nevertheless these doping cheats where caught and sanctioned accordingly (Shermer, M 2008).

As more athletics continued being caught doping, individual countries began setting up their own Anti doping agencies as increasing number of “dopers” around the world made it difficult for one main agency to monitor this ongoing and current issues in sport today. Therefore agencies such as (ASADA) Australian sport anti doping agency, (UKAD) UK anti doping agencies and (USADA) Us anti doping agency where set up as global counter act the ongoing abuse of illicit substances in sport today (Barroso, O, & Rabin, O 2011).

Drugs in sport today however still has a long way to go in controlling the use and supply at the elite level, there are always new ways individuals using to cheat the system for example when metandienone was finally being able to be detected many people where found using the banned substance (Thevis, M. M. 2013). This use is a widespread and complex issue around the world, for example in smaller countries with less control world wide rules and regulations are often not adhered for example in Malta the issue of drugs use among athletics has been considered an underground phenomenon with poor testing programs therefore drug use in widespread and in fact common among these athletics (Attard, L. 2011). This is a problematic situation in many developing nations as in comparison western nations due to technological advancements have continued to crack down on this issue for example in cycling the use of a biological passport which tracks biological variables in a cyclist's blood and urine over time, monitoring for fluctuations that are thought to indirectly reveal the effects of doping (Hailey, N. 2011). Controversially this year Kenya faced doping issues  According to the BBC Kenya faces strict emposements from WADA  “Since January 2012, 17 Kenyan athletes have been suspended for using performance enhancing drugs compared with only two between 2010 and 2012” ( Telegraph sport 2013). Wada’s director David Howman listed Kenya as one on the major problems for the organisation (Kamga J, P. 2003).

In totality the issue of drugs in sport is and always will be an issue for world doping authorities and clean athletics as drug cheats are finding new and innovative ways to beat the system in this technological advanced world. It is important to consider that doping has been around for centuries however as sport continues to become a part of culture and sporting people becoming idols for children and individuals in many countries the continual crackdown is essential for sport itself.

Reference List

Turfman, S.T, 2004. Drugs in sport: a brief history. The Guardian, 8 February 2004. 7

K., R, S., N, S., S, Patil, N, R., R, & A., V 2012, 'Drug abuse in sports', Journal Of Pharmacy Research, 5, 1, pp. 593-603, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 16 September 2013.

Shermer, M 2008, 'The Doping Dilemma', Scientific American, 298, 4, pp. 82-89, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 18 September 2013.

Mazzoni, I, Barroso, O, & Rabin, O 2011, 'The list of Prohibited Substances and Methods in Sport: Structure and Review Process by the World Anti-Doping Agency', Journal Of Analytical Toxicology, 35, 9, pp. 608-612, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 21 September 2013

Guddat, S. S., Fußhöller, G. G., Beuck, S. S., Thomas, A. A., Geyer, H. H., Rydevik, A. A., & ... Thevis, M. M. (2013). Synthesis, characterization, and detection of new oxandrolone metabolites as long-term markers in sports drug testing. Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry, 405(25), 8285-8294. doi:10.1007/s00216-013-7218-1

Mifsud, J., Attard, D., & Attard, L. (2011). Drug doping in sports: an overview and recommendations for the Maltese context. Malta Medical Journal, 23(1), 16-21.

Hailey, N. (2011). A FALSE START IN THE RACE AGAINST DOPING IN SPORT: CONCERNS WITH CYCLING'S BIOLOGICAL PASSPORT. Duke Law Journal, 61(2), 393-432.

Telegraph sport, T.L, 2013. Kenya under fire from Wada after alarming increase in number of athletes testing positive for drugs. The Telegraph , 30 October. 6

Ama P F, M., Betnga, B., Ama Moor V, J., & Kamga J, P. (2003). Football and doping: study of African amateur footballers. British Journal Of Sports Medicine, 37(4), 307.