Essendon chairman David Evans has resigned from the AFL club, effective immediately.
Evans dropped the bombshell on Saturday night in a club statement.
He resigned only a few days before the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) hands down its findings after a six-month investigation into the club.
There is speculation ASADA will issue its report as early as August 5.
“I appreciate very much that this will cause some consternation amongst the Essendon family,” said the statement.
“However, I strongly believe that the best thing for the club at this stage is for a new chairperson in order to see through the next phase of this challenging and difficult time for our club.
The Bombers have been under massive pressure since ASADA and the AFL started investigating them in early February.
Only one day ago, the club issued a statement where the board expressed full support for Evans.
There had been speculation earlier this week that some members of the board were unhappy with how Evans was handling the crisis.
Media reports also speculated of a falling out between Evans and coach James Hird – something Evans denied before Friday night’s loss to Hawthorn.
“My involvement, and indeed my family’s involvement over many years at both Essendon and the AFL have given me great strength during the last five months, because many of the people that I deal with are close friends,” Evans said.
“This has given me great insight and assisted in making tough decisions.
“But those decisions now may be seen to be clouded by those relationships or be seen as a conflict and I am not prepared to have my decisions reflect poorly on the club either now or in future.”
Evans described Essendon’s supplements crisis as a “tragedy”.
“This process has taken its toll on me, and on those around me, and I owe it to them to hand over now for the next phase,” he said.
Evans, 48, is the son of former AFL chairman and Essendon player Ron Evans.
He joined the Essendon board in 2006 and had been chairman since late 2009.
Evans is managing partner of an investment firm he established in 2007 and also said in the statement that he need to devote more time to his work.
“It is important that I return, and this means I cannot give to Essendon what it needs over the coming months,” Evans said.