Outrage Over Essendon Players Named

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Just before the AFL held its season launch activities, Melbourne newspaper The Herald Sun released the names of 14 Essendon players involved in the supplements scandal in 2013. Two of those players are now with other clubs and two others no longer play AFL. Both Essendon and the AFLPA slammed the report. AFLPA VP Matthew Pavlich said all the club captains felt the naming of players fell short of the standards of respect and decency which "should characterize player-media relationships."

Essendon chairman Paul Little was less diplomatic, saying the report contained "mistruths" and that the investigation had constantly been undermined by such mistruths, leaks and a lack of ethical professional behavior. He said confidentiality had been paramount and expressed the club's disappointment at the Sun for publishing player names from "an incomplete and interim report that could easily and unfairly damage the reputation of our players."

Matt Finnis, AFLPA CEO, was also furious, saying the Association condemned the news story in the strongest possible terms. In a media statement, he said the Association "calls on everyone to respect the process and integrity of the ASADA investigation" and that the players had been under enormous public scrutiny but had cooperated with authorities. He concluded by saying "You would hope that by now, there might be some level of acknowledgement of the invidious position these young men have been placed in which is higher than publishing names and photos of some of them in a major daily newspaper in a manner which only fuels further speculation and uncertainty. "

Source: afl.com.au, abc.net.au