Gillon McLachlan, Tuesday March 31:
The AFL confirms that the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal has found that the 34 past and present players of the Essendon Football Club did not breach the Anti-Doping Code.
The Tribunal is still completing its decision on the former employee of the Essendon Football Club. The decision is expected after Easter.
The AFL would like to thank the Tribunal Chairman, David Jones, and members John Nixon and Wayne Henwood for their work.
The case has been the most complex case ever tried by the AFL Tribunal, and the circumstances surrounding the case have been extremely difficult.
Given this, the Tribunal has delivered in a timely manner, given the amount of information and the number of parties involved.
The AFL is still reviewing the decision.
The AFL has asked that that the full details of the decision made public in the interests of transparency. Under the code, this is a matter for the players.
The AFL wishes to reinforce that ASADA and WADA have rights to appeal the decision.
I am pleased for the players and understand what a relief this is for them.
I do wish to thank the past and present Essendon Players for their full cooperation at all times, and how they conducted themselves through the last 2 years.
However, the judgement and the evidence should give no-one any joy about what happened in our competition in 2012.
It has been the AFL's view, and the view of Essendon's own internal report that the players were victims of a reckless program, which has hung over the players and the competition for more than 2 years.
Given the evidence the AFL collected, the ASADA Interim Report, and Essendon's own report it was clear that breaches of the AFL rules had occurred.
The Essendon Football Club in 2013 accepted that it had engaged in practices that exposed players to risks to their health and safety, as well as the unacceptable risk of using substances that were prohibited by the AFL Anti-doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code.
The Club and Club officials accepted sanctions from the AFL in 2013, which included:
· Being removed from the final series
· A $2million fine
· Loss of draft picks
· 12 month suspension for the Senior Coach
· Fines for a number of Club personnel
Since 2013, the Essendon Football Club has worked very hard to improve its processes, and has:
· Completed a full review of the football department and football program.
· Established a new football department executive to approve all new football department initiatives.
· Reviewed medical policies and procedures with a new medical protocol and policy established.
· Enhanced the Club's risk management framework, with additional training on Occupational, Health & Safety for all staff.
· Introduced a new internal whistle blower policy
The AFL believes in clean sport, is committed to continuing a rigorous testing program for performance enhancing drugs, and will continue to lead the way in the protection of the health and welfare of our players.
I want to thank the Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs Football Clubs for their support of their players, and their understanding during this long and difficult process.
To the remaining clubs in the competition, this has been an extremely difficult time for the game, and all clubs' work with their supporters and fans has been greatly appreciated.
