This is my first attempt, but here goes...
When I hear ASADA, I think of the NRL and all of the drama that has substantiated this year. There are many clubs, and personnel involved within the investigation of usage of certained banned substances. But, the beginning of the investigations this year didn't even begin at an NRL club, but infact at an AFL club residing in Melbourne, the Essendon Bombers. At the beginning of the year, back in February, Essendon invited the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (more commonly known as ASADA) to investigate a supplements program which was run by Stephen Dank, A sports scientist working for the club. Dank had previously worked with NRL clubs such as the Cronulla Sharks, Penrith Panthers and the Manly Sea Eagles. The Australian Crime Commission release a report of the "blackest day in Australian sport" and it is revealed that the Essendon players were urged to have 40 injections each last season.(Herald Sun, 2013).
Fast forward to March and the investigation is turned to the NRL also, targeting many clubs and up to 22 players, but mainly the Cronulla Sharks.(Daily Telegraph, 2013) This put a huge cloud over the Sharks as a whole, and many doubted them to make it anywhere near as far as they did this year. But why were they targeted? Stephen Dank used to work there. Already at this point it seemed like wherever he went or had been, trouble was to be there. Dank had only been at the club for 4 weeks before leaving, leaving concerns of why he had left so soon, and off site treatment adding to the confusion and suspicion. Throughout the course of the season, ASADA had been named and mentioned numerous times, with players, and clubs all being interviewed as part of the process of investigation. We as Australians I believe, do not like cheating, or using anything to gain an unfair advantage, such as the use of peptides.
April comes around, Dank claims that he never used anything that was a banned substance, and never did so without consulting and achieving consent from ASADA or WADA(World Anti-Doping Association) "Nothing was ever used without asking them first", "never once was anything indicated to me that we would have issues in terms of what we used". (Sydney Morning Herald, 2013) In June, ASADA came up again in the media, with new information on their trail. Text messages between the controversial Dank, and several players including Paul Gallen, the NSW captain, and Sandor Earl, Canberra Raiders winger. (Daily Telegraph, 2013) The Telegraph revealed that Dank had been "under close watch" and that text messages had been obtained from his phone to further assist their investigation. At this stage, I wonder how suspicious this Dank character is, and what is to come of it. Two months later Dank is refusing to be interviewed by ASADA despite being a main link in the drugs in sport probe. He said that both Cronulla and Essendon had nothing to worry about in the investigation as no one involved from either club had ever taken any banned substances. "Not at all, not one banned substance". (The Age, 2013)
Now only last week, the Footy Show on Channel Nine aired a full extensive interview of Sandor Earl by the usually funny Karl Stefanovic, where Sandor explains the entire process of his time when he was accused by ASADA to have been a drug cheat, back at the Panthers in 2011 whilst undergoing a double shoulder reconstruction. The man in charge of what Earl had found out to be breaking the law? Stephen Dank. He had offered an opportunity to help Sandor reduce his recovery time by up to three months, which of course any NRL player is going to chomp at the bit for, especially when you're a young player being held back by injury. Sandor explains meeting Dank, and learning of the treatment which Dank repeatedly told Earl that he was not breaking any rules. He was taken away to an off-site treatment facility (much similar to the one mentioned above I would think), the doctor there even assured Earl that he "wouldn't trust anyone more than Stephen Dank". Sandor apparently never paid for any of the substances, and he never received any major benefits from the drugs taken, and to him it seemed more credible. (Sydney Morning Herald, 2013) He says looking back now it looks a bit suspicious, but there isn't much he can do about it now.
Quite simply, I think that Dank should own up to what he has done, to further stop this happening and destroying players futures and even as far as the sports themselves. With this kind of reputation, who will want to fund it, watch it or support it in any way. I personally feel sorry for Sandor Earl, who asked many times "can i get in trouble for this?" to which Dank had replied no. I would too name and shame this man who has torn apart, even if only temporarily, this young man's footy career. As for ASADA asking Sandor to further assist their investigation into naming other players, not so sure if I would do that, or think he should. Dank is guilty, and I firmly believe he should be punished.
References:
Massoud, J. Sharks Players could be stood down following ASADA investigation. March 7, 2013.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/at-least-six-cronulla-sharks-players-in-sights-of-asada-officials/story-e6frexnr-1226591552380
Herald Sun, Essendon drugs scandal: The story so far. August 27, 2013.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-scandal-the-story-so-far/story-fni5f6kv-1226635822954
Wilson, R. ASADA is tackling a trail of texts between Stephen Dank and NRL players. June 16, 2013.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/asada-tackling-a-trail-of-texts-between-stephen-dank-and-nrl-players/story-fni3gol8-1226664369778
Proszenko, A. I always had ASADA's consent: Dank. April 9, 2013
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/i-always-had-asadas-consent-dank-20130408-2hhgk.html
The Age. Stephen Dank still won't bow to ASADA interview request. August 9, 2013
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/stephen-dank-still-wont-bow-to-asada-interview-request-20130809-2rnbx.html
Webster, A. Dank didn't come clean with me: Earl. September 27 2013.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/dank-didnt-come-clean-with-me-earl-20130926-2uh9r.html
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