AFL commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick has expressed his extreme disappointment over the long delays involved in ASADA’s case against Essendon.
“This process has gone on too long,” Fitzpatrick told a media conference on Monday.
“I’m extremely disappointed that the players are in this position.
“The AFL last year took strong and timely action against the club and three individuals at the club and those individuals and the club accepted those penalties.
“The interim report delivered to the AFL commission last year about the Essendon supplement program in 2012 outlined very serious breaches of our rules and it was clear that the program subjected our players to unacceptable risks and one of those risks is playing out now.”
ASADA issued 34 current and past Essendon players with show-cause notices last week.
The beginning of the anti-doping disciplinary procedure follows a 17-month investigation into Essendon’s controversial 2012 supplements program.
Just one day after news broke of the show-cause notices, Essendon and banned coach James Hird began legal action against ASADA.
Fitzpatrick said the league’s general counsel Andrew Dillon briefed the AFL commission on Monday on the latest developments regarding the Essendon case.
“The issuing of the 34 show-cause letters is clearly a very serious development for the players, for the Essendon Football Club and for the entire AFL competition,” Fitzpatrick said.
“There are a number of legal processes now underway and the AFL will not be providing ongoing commentary on these matters.”
Fitzpatrick said the AFL commission believed the players must be given the space and support to pursue their legal rights.
He said he also backed Essendon’s right to mount a legal challenge against ASADA.
“We understand the frustration of our supporters and the industry that this issue is still going,” Fitzpatrick added.
“We acknowledge that ASADA has a job to do and we need to let that process take its course.”
AFL chief Gillon McLachlan said it was possible the issue would drag on into next season.