AFL fans deserve open hearing into Essendon doping saga, writes Mark Robinson
HOW can you possibly have faith in ASADA, the AFL or Essendon? Football fans deserve to hear the truth unfettered, writes Mark Robinson.
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HOW can you possibly have faith in ASADA, the AFL or Essendon?
Deals, threats and Federal Government interference have dogged the AFL and ASADA — which the Herald Sun revealed — notwithstanding the possibility Essendon’s players have been administered performance-enhancing drugs by Essendon officials.
No, the faith is not strong.
The good news is Tuesday’s directions hearing will set a date for the hearing proper, where evidence will be finally tested and testimonies will be finally given, and conclusions will be finally delivered.
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The bad news is the hearing, expected in a month, will almost certainly be held behind closed doors. It’s not right.
The most elongated, discontented and mud-slinging investigation in AFL history, which has hijacked two seasons and hijacked the fans, and which has seemingly hijacked the truth, is set to be heard behind closed doors.
Football fans deserve an open hearing. They deserve to hear the truth unfettered.
They deserve to hear from the 34 players. From James Hird, from Bruce Reid, from Ian Robson, from David Evans, if they are asked.
The fans also could be lucky and hear from Stephen Dank and Dean Robinson and Nima Alavi and Shane Charter, names that have become familiar over the past two years.
All of them should be called to testify and all of them should be heard by the footy fan.
The players want to protect their privacy and will argue for a closed hearing. You can understand their position.
But it appears fruitless to protect their identity.
Thirty-four players received infraction notices on Friday evening. In 2012, there were 46 players at Essendon, including six rookies. That’s 34 out of 46. It’s not 34 out of 750 AFL footballers. It’s basically the whole Essendon list from one season, so privacy really isn’t the issue.
At a guess, the fans are on the players’ side. If the players were given PEDs, they were duped by others and the majority of fans have nothing but sympathy for the players.
Hearing their testimonies will only enhance that sympathy.
Faith is a key word.
The players put faith in club officials and the club and that faith will be tested.
Fans put faith in ASADA and the AFL to conduct a thorough investigation and that faith was certainly tested.
The AFL’s anti-doping tribunal, headed by chairman David Jones, is independent, but the faith in it cannot be absolute.
It’s because the football world has been let down by the AFL, ASADA and Essendon, when all three organisations acted clandestinely and without proper process.
Another secret hearing with a decision at the end — be it in favour of Essendon players or against them — won’t cut it.
It’s time for transparency and clarity, something AFL boss Gillon McLachlan pledged on the first day in the office
And if the players say they have nothing to hide, then what is their concern?
Originally published as AFL fans deserve open hearing into Essendon doping saga, writes Mark Robinson
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