The Essendon supplement saga could be the tipping point for a wide-ranging investigation into drugs in sport by the Australian Crime Commission.
The Australian newspaper reports the national law enforcement body could announce as early as Thursday an investigation into criminal activity centred on illegal drugs in sport.
The ACC would neither confirm nor deny it had alerted AFL executives to its plan, though chief executive Andrew Demetriou is known to have met representatives of the commission recently, the paper said.
Essendon are the subject of an investigation by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and the league’s integrity unit over unnamed supplements the club gave to players.
ASADA’s involvement raises the worst-case scenario for the club and the AFL that Essendon players took substances that are banned under the World Anti-Doping Agency code.
The Australian says while not suggesting the Essendon investigation is linked to criminal activity, the AFL has been made aware of growing police concerns of organised crime infiltrating sport.