After watching a video of the National Sport Integrity Forum a couple of times it jumped out at me that the big NSOs are bullish about their own “independent” Integrity Departments. As Mick Warner commented, with direct reference to the AFL, they do have an Integrity Dept that does deal with integrity matters quite well, BUT only if it doesn’t conflict with their commercial interests. I would suggest the big NSOs, i.e., the AFL, NRL, Tennis, Cricket, Basketball etc will fight against having their integrity matters handled by an independent, government sponsored Integrity Tribunal.
Although Steve Hooker presented his case as an former elite athlete, his comments related specifically to his experience within the Olympic bubble. But his comments were enthralling.
Apart from comments by Steve there wasn’t much attention paid to the plight of the athletes. There was no mention of the devastation left behind by the errors made by these NSOs from WADA, FIFA, IAAF etc through to the AFL and the ACB. Again the athletes were screwed.
Hooker’s wife got a 2 year ban for abnormalities in her biological passport. Think it was the end of her sporting career.
Kreutziger, a cyclist, fought his ban for abnormalities, introducing scientific evidence, after which the UCI and WADA withdrew their appeals to CAS ( after he was initially cleared by a tribunal of first instance). But it took him 2 years and untold expenses to do so.
Why not? If they are in a registered testing pool, it would be odd if they never got tested. The type of testing and results are not publicly disclosed ( unless, in some- but not all - circumstances they return an AAF) . Froome’s AAF was leaked, when it was not required to be disclosed.
Anybody else notice these little gems from the latest J34 petition update?
WADA changing its tactics from Links in the Chain to Strands in the Cable on the first morning of Tribunal sitting, giving defence lawyers little time to counter.
Beloff, the CAS Chair, stating “if someone says “I was given Melanotan”, that may well have been the case, it doesn’t follow that he wasn’t given Thymosin on some other occasion.”
Young, WADA’s prosecutor, not really caring one way or the other - “It’s basically that WADA’s job, as an umbrella organisation, they present issues to CAS, they don’t really care whether they win or lose…”
Do yourself a favour - check out the rest.
Chip Le Grand’s updated edition of The Straight Dope sums it up perfectly - “The biggest anti-doping case in Australian sport, and the careers and reputations of a generation of Essendon footballers, are determined by a best guess.”
WADA has published the conclusions of an independent audit report of the WADA Intelligence and Investigations Department . The audit notes the low level of cases pursued. It recognises that many cases can be handled adequately by sporting federations and NADOS, but resources limit WADA’s capacity to pursue other cases. The auditor considers that this runs the risk of WADA being accused of predermined targeting and reflects on WADA’s credibility.
Targeting of Essendon was apparent in the records of WADA meetings, helped by the Australian Government’s financial contribution to WADA prosecution of them. WADA expressed dissatisfaction with the penalties handed to Cronulla but did not pursue the issue.
If the ANAO were to conduct a comparable audit of ASADA, it might uncover some predetermined targeting by ASADA.
Haha , on the edited transcript of the sport integrity forum ( on The Ticket program) Howman shows himself up.
He commended the AFL Integiity Unit and noted that he had poached Clothier for the IAAF. Is he not aware that Clothier’s Integrity was in tatters for his evidence doctoring/tampering in the Essendon affair and that his AFL position might have been untenable?
In referring to the Essendon case, he said he is satisfied as to the legal robustness. Seemingly he has no concern about factual correctness, procedural fairness or the standard of proof/ legal robustness applied by CAS in the Russian Legkov case compared to that in the Essendon case.
He also referred to the need for integrity people to be at arm’s length, noting that, in relation to his current position at the IAAF, he had not previously been involved in athletics. How not, given his WADA role ( with Olympic connections ) and his role in NZ?
How does he feel about the former US Olympics CEO ( who resigned following the US Gymnastics scandal) who has been appointed by his Olympic mates to ICAS, ( the CAS governing body)?
Ryan Lochte gets suspended for an IV infusion of a non- prohibited substance in excess of 100ml within a 12 hour period. The only exceptions are for hospital treatment, surgery or during clinical investigations.
How do painkillers fit into this system absent a TUE?
Lochte is obviously silly after the Spanish footballer was pinched in exactly the same circumstances less than 18 months ago - I wonder how Lochte’s suspension compares to others using IV treatment - It also poses the question that i can comfortably say that IV treatment is ‘part and parcel’ of professional sport but is kept under the radar.
Is Bombers drugs saga finally over?
Michael Warner, Herald Sun
A SUPREME Court stoush over the Essendon drugs saga has been resolved.
Lawyers for the AFL and plaintiff Jackson Taylor agreed this morning to end an action brought against league supremos Gillon McLachlan and Mike Fitzpatrick.
The case took a twist last month when it emerged Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon had been engaged by McLachlan and Fitzpatrick as separate legal advisers to the AFL’s.
The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.
The case alleged McLachlan and Fitzpatrick contravened consumer law by misleading or deceiving the public over the AFL’s conduct in the saga, to protect its commercial interests and reputation.
It centred on a series of public comments, including:
McLACHLAN’S denials that he asked the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to “take bits out” of an interim report unfavourable to the AFL.
McLACHLAN’S denials that he tried to engineer outcomes before Essendon players and officials were interviewed by ASADA and the AFL.
FITZPATRICK’S denial that he told axed Essendon football boss Danny Corcoran in March 2016 that “your mate (James) Hird will never get back into football”.
Taylor’s high-powered legal team included human rights lawyer Julian Burnside QC.
The AFL had engaged global law firm K&L Gates.
Taylor’s action was one of the last live disputes stemming from football’s greatest crisis.
This is a shock as Taylor I thought wanted public confessions and executions. I therefore assume that gil’s resignation letter has been sent and clothier is being measured up for a prison uniform.
I mean it’s no surprise the AFL would have wanted to settle it given key parties would be called to the stands but I don’t see why JT folds now & accepts settling after progressing it so far.
