I took banned drug: Watson

[magnifisaint]

Essendon captain Jobe Watson has admitted for the first time that he believes he was administered the banned drug AOD 9604

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/i ... z2X8yKJm7O

[BigMart]

A strange admission

WADA is consistent in saying ignorance is not a defense.... He was taking a drug, and it was illegal?!

[matrix]

They.........Are f***ed.

[class of 2010]

IF there are no player sanctions to come out of this I will have lost total faith in not only the AFL but sport in general. In one sentence Watson admits to being administered with the illegal drug, and in the next says he doesn't expect any player sanctions. Absolute farce if thats the advice he's being given by the AFL. I've never been one to cry foul over prejudicial treatment in the AFL but can only imagine the sanctions to have been handed out if it had been us injecting. The club and its players have brought the game into disrepute and Jobe has tarnished the Charlie, player sanctions should be in line with the WADA/ASADA code. 6 months minimum for every player at the club last year. BJ and new draftees take on

[noddy]

Do you think this is an honest admission or a calculated move on Essendon's part to change the narrative (from 'we did nothing wrong' to 'we were lied to')?

Nah, Watson doesn't have that kind of integrity. This is all a part of the club's PR campaign.

[ozrulestrace]

I cannot fathom how he thinks the players will not be sanctioned, especially if there is starting to be a drip feed of admissions McVeigh. And now him.


Where does the Brownlow win fit into all of this?

This will not be a case of don't blame us, blame Dank, it will be a case of you took it, you broke the drug code.

Of course that's not to say the Afl and Dimwit try and get them off.

So common Asada, do the righting by the sporting world and whack all of them hard.

[St Loxton]

So the brownlow is for the leagues "best and fairest", he may have been the best in 2012 but definatley not the fairest ( in the case of illegal suppliment injections ).
Technally he could/should lose the Charlie.

[saintspremiers]

Do you think this is an honest admission or a calculated move on Essendon's part to change the narrative (from 'we did nothing wrong' to 'we were lied to')?

Nah, Watson doesn't have that kind of integrity. This is all a part of the club's PR campaign.

correct.

And they are prob after a 6 month sanction in the off season.

Hopefully WADA and the AFL will not have a bar of that and make it in season. Unless they are corrupt.

[Devilhead]

Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell joint Browlow winners??

[Stillwaiting]

Do you think this is an honest admission or a calculated move on Essendon's part to change the narrative (from 'we did nothing wrong' to 'we were lied to')?

Nah, Watson doesn't have that kind of integrity. This is all a part of the club's PR campaign.

It sure is, they know what's coming and this is an attempt to minimise the damage in terms of penalties and to reduce the damage on their brand.

There is no way these players should avoid bans, but I am sure demetriou will find away to prevent bans, he will just bury his head even further in the sand

[busso mick]

Lets remember Shane Warne got 12 months suspension for taking a diuretic over 10 years ago. I wonder what slap on the wrist Essendon will have to endure?

[stinger]

i think he meant to say legal

[mullet]

Asada will determine the sanctions not the AFL. The AFL can decide to lay their own sanctions ie bringing the game in to disrepute if they want to , but it is up to ASADA to hand out sanctions for taking banned substances.

Unfortunately, Essendon have brainwashed their players that they are innocent, Essendon have also brainwashed all sponsors and supporters that they are innocent. Hec look how the press have been pumping up the "great performances under such duress" angle.

I think they are in deep shiiite, and the players are just little puppets. Dumb little puppets who believe anything, even that if you say you have taken a banned substance you still havent done anything wrong.

Disappointed this is under the Essendope thread, was looking forward to that one breaking all records

[mullet]

Lets remember Shane Warne got 12 months suspension for taking a diuretic over 10 years ago. I wonder what slap on the wrist Essendon will have to endure?

Jamaican woman sprinter campbell=brown just got done for taking diuretic she is looking at 2 years

[St Chris]

Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell joint Browlow winners??

Wasn't Mitchell ineligible?? Or was that 2011??

[Eastern]

Asada will determine the sanctions not the AFL. The AFL can decide to lay their own sanctions ie bringing the game in to disrepute if they want to , but it is up to ASADA to hand out sanctions for taking banned substances.

Unfortunately, Essendon have brainwashed their players that they are innocent, Essendon have also brainwashed all sponsors and supporters that they are innocent. Hec look how the press have been pumping up the "great performances under such duress" angle.

I think they are in deep shiiite, and the players are just little puppets. Dumb little puppets who believe anything, even that if you say you have taken a banned substance you still havent done anything wrong.

Disappointed this is under the Essendope thread, was looking forward to that one breaking all records

I'm getting a little technical here; The AFL, through the AFL Tribunal will determine the sanctions, BUT the sanctions MUST meet the approval of ASADA/WADA !!

[SainterK]

Not sure demetriou will be happy with his admission.

How's he supposed to get the broom out now?

If Melbourne were fined 500k and two employees stood down as a result of brocks OTC admission, when previous to that nothing was going to happen, what's this mean for TFS dons?

[Johnny Member]

I watched the interview, and what Watson said wasn't a frank admission, or a staged set up by Essendon.

He was talking quite casually about it, but did keep repeating the obvious mantra that 'I/we didn't do anything wrong'.

However when asked directly if he took that drug he said that he did, then when asked what he felt when ASADA came out and said it was banned, he said he was shocked.

I think at that point, he may have realised that he'd put his foot in it.


Clearly though, Essendon players were being pumped full of all sorts of stuff, and I believe were genuinely told by the club that it was all legal.

Watson seems to believe (or wants to believe) that that means he didn't do anything wrong.

In the eyes of the public, he probably didn't. But I think in the eyes of ASADA he has.

[Devilhead]

Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell joint Browlow winners??

Wasn't Mitchell ineligible?? Or was that 2011??

He was ineligible in 2011

Just went to wiki brownlow 2012 and someone has edited in the words drug xheat where Watson is referenced

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Brownlow_Medal

[gringo]

My wife works with people close to Essendon footy club and they believe that there will be no penalty. Their legal team is extremely confident. It wasn't banned according to them and they will fight this in court and have the back up of blaming it all on Dank. AFL has a fight on their hands to even fight this in court. A nominal fine is all I'm thinking will come from it.

It was meant to be legal according to the ASADA website at the time.

[SainterK]

I watched the interview, and what Watson said wasn't a frank admission, or a staged set up by Essendon.

He was talking quite casually about it, but did keep repeating the obvious mantra that 'I/we didn't do anything wrong'.

However when asked directly if he took that drug he said that he did, then when asked what he felt when ASADA came out and said it was banned, he said he was shocked.

I think at that point, he may have realised that he'd put his foot in it.


Clearly though, Essendon players were being pumped full of all sorts of stuff, and I believe were genuinely told by the club that it was all legal.

Watson seems to believe (or wants to believe) that that means he didn't do anything wrong.

In the eyes of the public, he probably didn't. But I think in the eyes of ASADA he has.

In my eyes he has?

[Johnny Member]

There has to be a penalty, unless there is an official document somewhere from WADA or ASADA categorically saying the drugs they took were legal.

[Devilhead]

Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell joint Browlow winners??

Wasn't Mitchell ineligible?? Or was that 2011??

He was ineligible in 2011

Just went to wiki brownlow 2012 and someone has edited in the words drug xheat where Watson is referenced

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Brownlow_Medal

Crikey they are quick - it has now been changed to more savoury wording

[markp]

Clearly though, Essendon players were being pumped full of all sorts of stuff, and I believe were genuinely told by the club that it was all legal.

Watson seems to believe (or wants to believe) that that means he didn't do anything wrong.

Bit like saying you bought a new tv from a guy in a pub car park and you thought it was legit... said he had receipts and everything.

There's no way ignorance can be any sort of defence here.

Surely.

[Johnny Member]

I watched the interview, and what Watson said wasn't a frank admission, or a staged set up by Essendon.

He was talking quite casually about it, but did keep repeating the obvious mantra that 'I/we didn't do anything wrong'.

However when asked directly if he took that drug he said that he did, then when asked what he felt when ASADA came out and said it was banned, he said he was shocked.

I think at that point, he may have realised that he'd put his foot in it.


Clearly though, Essendon players were being pumped full of all sorts of stuff, and I believe were genuinely told by the club that it was all legal.

Watson seems to believe (or wants to believe) that that means he didn't do anything wrong.

In the eyes of the public, he probably didn't. But I think in the eyes of ASADA he has.

In my eyes he has?

Yeah, poor choice of words. What I meant was that some/most people would accept the defence of 'I have a signed document from a doctor saying that this is legal so I took it' - whereas ASADA don't.


My understanding is that it is very simple - if you took something illegal, then you're in deep s***. Full stop.