AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou insists he still doesn’t know when the league will make a finding on the Essendon supplements saga or even what the next steps in the process are.

Demetriou said no deals were being made with the Bombers and the league would treat all parties fairly, without fear or favour.

He said it was still hoped the matter would be resolved before finals.

But he said he was no closer to knowing whether Essendon would be stripped of their place in the finals, as no penalties had yet been determined.

He said reports that the AFL Commission were scheduled to meet next Monday were incorrect, with their next meeting due on August 26, although they could call an earlier meeting if needed.

Demetriou said it was up to the AFL’s general counsel Andrew Dillon, who took possession of ASADA’s 400-page interim report last Friday, to make recommendations to the commission and as yet he had not done so, nor given them any indication of when that would happen.

“As we sit here, I’m being totally honest with you, general counsel is reviewing the report,” Demetriou told Melbourne’s 3AW radio on Friday.

“Up until the time that they make a decision on what are the next steps forward, you and I have got the same knowledge of what the next steps are.”

When it was put to him that was difficult to believe, Demetriou replied: “It’s true.”

He said he could not even be sure whether the league might delay a decision until ASADA completes their investigation, rather than rely on the interim report.

“I don’t know the answer to that because I’m not reviewing the report, our general counsel is,” he said.

“I’ve read it but we are now awaiting the views of our general counsel to tell us whether there is anything to be answered for before the finals.”

He was adamant no deals were being made with the Bombers over a penalty, although said there were expected to be negotiations over timeframes, how the process was carried out and what details are made public.

“No deals have been done, as has been perceived and portrayed in recent days,” Demetriou told ABC radio earlier on Friday.

“But there are always discussions between respective legal teams about process as their should be, particularly if there are to be charges, and again I don’t know, that is entirely up to Andrew Dillon. But those discussions always take place.”

He said the AFL’s priorities were to protect the integrity of the game, to put players’ welfare first, to be transparent in how they handled the matter and to get to the truth.

“That is all part of the discussion,” he said.

“It is terribly important given the length of this investigation that we have the right process in place.”

Demetriou confirmed no other AFL team was the subject of ASADA’s investigation and said the AFL would consider a public hearing into the matter if sanctions were brought forward.

“There is a lot of merit in a public hearing, absolutely,” he said.