ASADA to sanction Essendon AFL players and officials

Newspaper reports have suggested that the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) is preparing infraction notices against Essendon Football Club players and officials that could result in lifetime bans from all sport.

News Corp Australia websites have reported that ASADA will soon be releasing an update on its investigation into Essendon's 2012 supplements program with the authority apparently preparing infraction notices for at least seven Bombers players and officials.

The players and officials are believed to include Coach James Hird, Development Manager Danny Corcoran, former High Performance Manager Dean Robinson and sports scientist Stephen Dank, with more are likely to be implicated.

The penalties will reportedly be issued some time after the AFL Grand Final on 28th September.

The penalties will be in addition to those already handed out by the AFL last month which saw Hird suspended for 12 months, Corcoran suspended for four months, and Assistant Coach Mark Thompson fined $30,000.

The Essendon Football Club has rejected the reports saying the claims have no factual basis.

At the time the sanctions were handed down the AFL said no infraction notices had been issued to players but said that could change as the investigation continued.

Essendon club doctor Dr Bruce Reid fought the charges against him and on Wednesday the AFL dropped all charges against Reid. It is understood Reid is unlikely to now receive an infraction notice from ASADA.

The decision ended action being taken by Dr Reid in the Victorian Supreme Court.

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