Herald Sun reporter Mick Warner has opened up on the story revealing damaging revelations about the Essendon drug saga from 2013.
Warner, who broke the story on 16th October 2019, revealed that the drug that sparked the Essendon supplements scandal, Thymosin Beta-4, was only listed as a banned substance the day before the Bombers "self-reported" to the AFL in February 2013, which was several months after the injections stopped.
"On that Monday February 4th 2013, before Essendon 'self-reported' to the AFL, someone from ASADA between 2:34 am and 12:59 pm altered or changed the status of Thymosin Beta-4," Warner said.
"So previous to that if you checked the ASADA website with that drug, it would just say nothing and wouldn't recognise it. However, after February 4th, the website would would say this it was banned from the sport."
"However, ASADA said yesterday that this isn't relevant because the drug has always been banned under WADA."
However, even with these revelations coming out, Warner said he doesn't believe it will make much of a difference in the long run.
"I don't think this going to change the game. There is no appetite from Canberra for there to be an inquiry into Essendon, which we should have had years ago because it's just a dog's breakfast," Warner said.
"Even though it's a startling revelation, I don't think those thirty four Essendon players are going to get their bans overturned as a result."
Jimmy Bartel said it was important not to forget those Essendon players that were affected by one of the darkest days in sports history in 2013.
"You also have to think, that's thirty-four players and that's thirty-four families as well who have gone through the ringer. The parents and families of these players would have gone to work and everyday they would have had to deal with people saying, 'Oh what has your son done now?'"
Here is the link:
https://omny.fm/shows/breakfast/mick-warner-opens-up-on-essendon-drug-scandal-reve
Justice for the 34 renews its call for an Independent inquiry into anti-doping with wide ranging terms of reference which allow all sporting bodies, all athletes, and all interested parties to make representations.
This is in the national interest, and it will help all athletes, not just the Essendon 34.
Please support our petition and an independent inquiry to sort this mess out.
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