Allan Hird: Andrew Demetriou’s version of Essendon supplements saga just doesn’t add up

James Hird’s father Allan has launched a scathing attack on Andrew Demetriou’s most recent account of the Essendon supplements saga and his ‘crocodile tears’ for Jobe Watson.

James Hird when coaching Essendon back in 2015.

Many emotions welled up when I read Andrew Demetriou’s version of the Essendon supplements program.

Leaving aside the anger and disbelief that he could try to spin it the way he has, Andrew’s take on what happened is hypocrisy on stilts.

Take his crocodile tears about Jobe Watson’s Brownlow. Sure, Andrew wasn’t there in 2016 when the AFL stripped the Brownlow from Jobe. (As an aside, what a hollow gesture that was from the AFL when the football world knows the 2012 is rightfully Jobe Watson’s.)

It was Andrew Demetriou, however, who set in train the events that led to the AFL decision to award Jobe’s Brownlow to the runner-ups.

It was he, back in 2005, who signed all Australian Rules players up to the WADA code.

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James Hird after returning from his 12-month ban when the club said it would honour his contract for the 2015-16 seasons.

Andrew Demetriou should have known that meant the fate of all players of our great game was to be placed in the hands of a foreign body not bound by Australian law.

If he didn’t know that back in 2005 he was not up to the job as AFL CEO.

It was Andrew Demetriou’s job to know what the implications of WADA’s rules would be for Australian Rules footballers. But either he didn’t do his homework or he did not care.

It took the fate of 34 Essendon footballers to expose the inherent unjust elements of the WADA system. For example, the 34 were tried twice for the same offence.

Double jeopardy, as this is called, is not allowed under Australian law (nor is it allowed under European law). But the WADA Code actively encourages a second trial.

At the first trial, two Australian judges and a barrister, applying Australian legal principles found the 34 not guilty, stating in part the case against them lacked an evidentiary basis.

Put simply the players passed every drug test and there is no evidence the substance they were alleged to have taken, Thymosin Beta-4, ever reached Essendon.

But under the system Andrew Demetriou signed them up to WADA had them tried again at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Here the rules of evidence, such as they were, were written by WADA and allowed WADA, as the prosecutor, to introduce ‘evidence’ that would not have been allowed in Australian Courts.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and chairman Mike Fitzpatrick address the media over a report into organised crime and drugs in sport.

It’s all very well for Andrew Demetriou to say he felt ‘terribly for the players’. It was he,

Andrew Demetriou who signed them up to a kangaroo court that expressly allowed athletes to be tried twice and disregarded proper rules of evidence.

And why wait until 2022 to speak up? The time to come out was 2016 when the AFL banned the 34 and stripped the Brownlow from Jobe.

His voice may have had some weight then. But now six years on, and after his dealings with Crown Casino and Acquire Learning, the authority with which he speaks has depreciated somewhat.

Andrew Demetriou somehow wants to blame the ‘evil’ Gillard government for hoodwinking the AFL. Yet the evidence which the Herald Sun has published over the years suggests the

AFL under him as CEO was an active player in what was done to Essendon. It was the AFL that went to ASADA and proposed a joint investigation so ASADA could use the AFL’s coercive powers; powers ASADA had been denied by the Australian parliament. It was the

AFL that got David Evans to employ Liz Lukin so the AFL could manage Essendon.

Andrew Demetriou denies he tipped David Evans off that Essendon was in the frame. How does he then explain that as the storm was about to break David Evans ‘self-reported’?

David Evans had been the club chairman for a number of years. Why did he suddenly feel the need to ‘self-report’ immediately after Andrew Demetriou had been briefed? Perhaps

David Evans may feel the need to tell his story now; after all we have not heard a peep from him since his sudden departure in 2013.

The pressure shows on James Hird during the long-running Essendon drama.

Allan Hird has spoken out over Demetriou’s version of the supplements saga.

Andrew Demetriou claims what happened at Essendon was not ‘nice’ but gives no details. In fact, all we have had is stories planted in the media by the AFL; many of which have been discredited. While the Essendon supplements program may have been shambolic there is no evidence that indicates it was illegal or injurious.

After the joint ASADA/AFL investigation 34 Essendon players were charged with taking

Thymosin Beta-4 a naturally occurring substance in humans. No other charges were laid against them. The players passed every drug test so the prosecution relied on hearsay and supposition. Two judges and a barrister correctly said the prosecution’s case lacked an evidentiary basis.

Back in 2013, the AFL, under Andrew Demetriou’s watch, put it about that the 2012 supplements program had endangered the players long-term health. Well ten years on and after regular medical check-ups no long-term health problems have emerged.

To conclude, it’s a bit rich for Andrew Demetriou now to say Jobe Watson and 33 other

Essendon players were badly treated. Back in 2013 he set the ball rolling for what happened to them. And back in 2016, when he may have been able to make a difference, he remained silent. Thanks for the mea culpa Andrew but no thanks.

– Allan Hird is the father of James Hird and a former Essendon player

Originally published as Allan Hird: Andrew Demetriou’s version of Essendon supplements saga just doesn’t add up