Damien,

I am a member of a group of professional people that identify as Justice for the 34 (J34). We have been lobbying various politicians and governments for over 5 years to conduct an independent inquiry into the legitimacy of the suspension of the 34 Essendon players. We have many supporters not only in Australia but also overseas. Our two symposia in 2016 and 2017 attracted wide interest. 

We have accumulated a substantial library of evidence that ASADA conducted a flawed and corrupted investigation, mislead two Senate Estimates Panels and continue to thwart efforts to gain access to information under FOI that would further strengthen our case.

We have applied, like Mr Francis, for access to information related to the investigation through FOI. It appears that the FOI Act does not apply to ASADA. At last count the success rate of FOI requests to ASADA was below 10%. The ASADA Act was established in March 2006 and was not reviewed until the Sports Integrity Australia was formed in 2019. The world of doping in sport exploded during this period yet the Australian Government chose not to act. ASADA ran an anti-doping program that was not oversighted by Parliament. 

My everlasting memory of the saga will always be the acknowledgement by most commentators and bureaucrats that ASADA was never ready for a case like the Essendon supplements saga. Mistakes were made but remain hidden. Many would like them forgotten.

Essendon supporters and those who acknowledge that the case was flawed have been told to move on. I acknowledge that there is a high level of “saga fatigue.” The media do not have the appetite to challenge the bureaucracy and certainly will not challenge the AFL and their role in the saga. It would be fair to suggest that the AFL is a juggernaut in Melbourne.

J34 believe that in a mature society wrongs must be righted. It has been suggested to me that it might take a generation to see justice realised in the Essendon case; when all the current individuals in the case have passed on.

Finally, as a medical scientist, with 40+ experience and expertise in pharmaceuticals, biological therapies and medical devices, let me state clearly that just based on the science alone the 34 Essendon players and their coaches were stitched up.

May I commend you for publishing the article in The Age on the Bruce Francis case before the AAT in Brisbane on Wednesday? People need to understand what happened and many to believe that wrongs must be righted.

Name withheld. 

Justice for the 34. 

Check the FOI requests for yourself.

Source: www.righttoknow.org.au

Go to: requests.     Search: ASADA and/or ADRVP 

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.

More info at: https://www.facebook.com/justiceforthe34/