The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority will not launch an appeal after 34 AFL players were cleared of any misconduct in the Essendon Bombers doping scandal following a two-year ASADA-AFL investigation.
ASADA had 21 days, following the ruling, to launch an appeal. At the time ASADA CEO Ben McDevitt said that an appeal was a “very live option”. ASADA has now decided it will defer the matter to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Despite the decision, McDevitt has urged WADA to take the matter straight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In a statement issued this morning McDevitt said, “Appealing any of these decisions within the AFL framework would ultimately serve only to delay consideration of these matters by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
“I have therefore arranged to provide the entire case file encompassing all 35 matters to WADA for its independent review. This is in accordance with global anti-doping protocols.
“WADA will then be able to make an independent decision as to whether to exercise its appeal options. ASADA will support any WADA initiated appeal in relation to these matters.”
Related: Essendon Cleared By Anti-Doping Tribunal
WADA now have 21 days, starting today, to consider an appeal.
McDevitt has also called for the tribunal’s full findings to be released to the public.
Read the full statement below.
“As with all other decisions I have made in these matters this decision has largely been informed by comprehensive legal adviceI am conscious that ASADA does not have a direct right of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the only appeal avenue open to ASADA at this time is to the AFL Anti-Doping Appeals Tribunal.
I am also aware that appealing any of these decisions within the AFL framework would ultimately serve only to delay consideration of these matters by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). I have therefore arranged to provide the entire case file encompassing all 35 matters to WADA for its independent review. This is in accordance with global anti-doping protocols.
WADA will then be able to make an independent decision as to whether to exercise its appeal options. ASADA will support any WADA initiated appeal in relation to these matters.
In the interests of transparency, I would welcome the fullest possible release of the tribunal’s findings and reasons on all of these matters.”
