Dear M/s Wilson
RE: Essendon rejoices as Kevin Sheedy is set to return home
I can’t recall coming across a more hateful person. I have also never come across a journalist who appears to have less respect for the profession. In my opinion, you are disgusting. An opinion, I believe shared by many others.
- The players won’t be suspended. It is my understanding that:
i. Thirty-four Essendon players admitted to being administered unknown amino acids (plural)
ii. ASADA claims that one of those amino acids was Thymosin Beta-4
iii. At the tribunal hearing, ASADA made no attempt to prove player 1 was administered Thymosin Beta-4.
iv. ASADA made no attempt to prove players 2 or 3 or 4 … or 34 was administered Thymosin Beta-4.
Logic, and the law, dictates that if ASADA didn’t try and prove any player was administered Thymosin Beta-4, they must all be cleared.
Legally, the AFL commissioners, key AFL executives McLachlan, Dillon and Clothier, human resources manager and occupational health and safety manager, the Essendon board, human resources manager, Paul Hamilton, Dean Robinson and Dr Reid were more responsible for the players’ safety than Hird. I have told you what seems like a hundred times that the Victorian OH&S Act, the Essendon organisation structure and Hird’s job description meant legally he had no responsibility. If you don’t wish to be wacked again with a piece of ‘four b’ two’, I suggest you read the Act and persuade your paper to publish the Essendon organisation structure.
Item (Wilson) 1: It is beyond doubt that a new broom is required at Essendon.
My Comment:
I agree. A new broom is required to ensure that the board understands that it is elected to serve the best interests of the members, not the best interests of the AFL or the other grovelling 17 clubs. I’d be surprised if you could find a single Essendon member who believes the board hasn’t been too sycophantic towards the AFL. The days of minimising the margin of defeats with the AFL are over. The board has to do what it urges its players to do every weekend. It has to get down and dirty and make sure the tribunal doesn’t come in with an unexpected decision.
Bruce Francis