Federal Labor MP Kimberley Kitching backs Senate inquiry into Essendon drugs saga
ESSENDON leaders at the centre of the 2013 crisis meeting captured on a recording say the tape should finally trigger a parliamentary inquiry, which has been backed by a federal Labor MP.
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ESSENDON leaders at the centre of the 2013 crisis meeting captured on a recording say the tape accurately reflects their “frustration” and should finally trigger a parliamentary inquiry.
Federal MP Kimberley Kitching became the first member of the Labor Party to publicly support calls for a full-blown Senate investigation into the handling of the Essendon drugs saga, after reading excerpts of the tape.
Federal Sports Minister Greg Hunt earlier this week revealed he had asked for a review of potentially new information regarding the saga presented to him by the Justice for the 34 group, which is campaigning for an inquiry.
The controversial AFL-ASADA probe into the Bombers’ 2012 supplements program was launched after the Gillard government’s “Blackest Day in Sport” announcement in February 2013, and continued by Tony Abbott.
Former Bombers chairman Paul Little, who steered the club through the crisis, told the Herald Sun: “My first priority as Essendon Football Club chairman was then, and remains today, the welfare of players and the truth for all supporters. It should be clearly understood that this meeting was held in the Essendon boardroom back in August 2013 and was recorded without EFC knowledge or approval.
“I was only recently made aware of the existence of this recording. Whilst I have a strong preference that the club enjoy clear air away from any aspect of the supplements saga, the transcript confirms the frustration and uncertainty gripping our club at the time.”
READ THE EXPLOSIVE MEETING TRANSCRIPT
Senator Kitching said: “If ASADA and its outgoing CEO, Ben McDevitt, have nothing to hide, then they have nothing to fear from the Senate inquiry that I’m proposing.
“No genuine AFL fan — and by extension a fan of any sport — wants a repeat of how this matter was handled.
“You don’t have to be a member of the Essendon cheer squad to know that something doesn’t smell right. It is clear that weaker sporting clubs than Essendon would not have survived this horrifying episode in sporting history.
“Without pre-empting a Senate inquiry, it is clear mistakes were made by regulators and others, and those mistakes must never again be repeated.
“I think a Senate inquiry should focus on the motivations of headline-chasing, publicity-seeking bureaucrats at ASADA.”
Former Bombers footballer manager Danny Corcoran declared: “This tape shows what was really happening in 2013.
“We were clearly told that if we did a deal the players would not be charged. It’s now my fundamental belief that this should be one of the triggers for a parliamentary inquiry.”
Ex-assistant coach Mark Thompson said: “At least we’ve now got the facts out there. It’s a true reflection of what we were dealing with and the full truth will come out eventually.”
Corcoran, who last month told the Herald Sun that “systemic bullying and harassment” had caused James Hird’s breakdown and drug overdose, escalated his attack on the AFL and ASADA.
“Everyone has spoken a lot about governance, or lack of, in the whole EFC supplements saga but governance is a two-way street that applies to ASADA, the AFL and the EFC,’’ Corcoran said.
“The whole situation has to be investigated so this chapter can be consigned to history. It can never happen unless we trigger a government inquiry and investigate actions that may prove to be illegal.
“The evidence in the interim report given was never tested or cross examined and was cherrypicked to punish the EFC and staff and paint them in the worst possible light.
“Remember, initially the AFL in their dealings thought the players would get off. People were granted immunity from prosecution and their evidence was never tested.
“And the leaking and the release of the charges in full on August 21 in the media and on the AFL website before the commission hearing on August 26-27 contravened the ASADA Act.”
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