The thought of Dean Robinson working with an AFL club again is disturbing, writes Mark Robinson
THE AFL leaving the door ajar for Dean Robinson to make a possible return to the league is disturbing for many reasons, writes MARK ROBINSON.
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DON’T know what’s more disturbing: The AFL leaving the door ajar for Dean Robinson to make a possible return to AFL or people not caring either way.
Revelations in the Herald Sun this week that the door was not slammed shut on Robinson ever returning to clubland once again raises questions about his hands-on involvement in the Essendon drug scandal, why he was paid a $1 million settlement and why he was not prosecuted by either the AFL or ASADA.
Even the most amateur of sleuths — and apparently not the professionals within the AFL and ASADA — would have red flags about everything that happened involving Robinson.
Why did Robinson escape charges when he and Stephen Dank were in charge of the drugs program?
Why did get a $1 million payout after issuing a host of Supreme Court subpoenas against several AFL and Essendon officials, including Andrew Demetriou, Gillon McLachlan, Elizabeth Lukin, Ian Robson and David Evans?
What happened with Robinson and former Gold Coast player Nathan Bock and alleged injections with a banned substance?
Now the AFL hasn’t ruled out re-registering Robinson.
The footy world has moved on, and even Essendon wants it over, but that doesn’t mean all is forgotten, let alone forgiven.
It is outrageous that James Hird was suspended for 12 months and had his reputation trashed when Robinson, who was in charge of the supplements regimen and who had Dank reporting to him, escaped the same penalty.
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Re-read the following from the Herald Sun: “Robinson agreed to give information to ASADA just days after the scandal hit. There was no formal agreement for immunity, but Robinson helped investigators on the basis of an ‘understanding’.”
We should know more about the “understanding”.
The AFL and ASADA were looking for anyone with information and Robinson was able to help. He also offered startling information about his time at the Suns.
Robinson told ASADA investigators that Bock visited his Gold Coast home where he gave him the banned substance CJC-1295 in a green cooler bag packed in late 2010.
Robinson claimed Dank had told him the drug was not banned and Dank has since confessed to giving CJC-1295 to Bock. The Suns were run by the AFL at the time.
Bock also escaped ASADA prosecution, while it’s known 34 Essendon players were banned for 12 months, despite there being documented evidence that not all 34 players took “Thymosin”, the drug that brought them all down.
Yes, it’s old news and the lethargy surrounding the drugs scandal is apparent.
But it doesn’t mean justice and truth should be ignored.
Robinson got off free with a million large and now the AFL says: “All club officials must be registered and approved by the AFL and Mr Robinson would be subject to the same processes as any other person.”
It ain’t right.
Originally published as The thought of Dean Robinson working with an AFL club again is disturbing, writes Mark Robinson
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