Anti-doping experts have reiterated the strict liability facing Essendon captain Jobe Watson in the wake of the AFL star’s stunning admission that he took AOD-9604.
The Bombers’ supplements crisis took a startling twist on Monday night when Watson, the reigning Brownlow Medallist, said he believed he had taken the banned anti-obesity drug.
Former Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) chairman Richard Ings and World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) president John Fahey separately said on Tuesday that under anti-doping rules, it was up to the athlete to ensure he or she did not take a banned substance.
Watson is the first Essendon player to publicly admit he took AOD-9604, which the World Anti-Doping Authority confirmed in April had been a banned substance since the start of 2011.
The substance is one of the key elements in the controversy surrounding Essendon’s supplements program last year.
But Ings added it would be premature to suggest that the AFL should stand down Watson immediately because of his admission.
Watson’s comments sparked plenty of discussion on Tuesday about whether the AFL should take action against him now.
For example, if a cyclist had confessed on Monday to taking AOD-9604, his team most likely would suspend him ahead of Saturday night’s first stage in the Tour de France.
Watson was also adamant on Monday that he was innocent of any wrongdoing.
“The only caveat would be if a player was to … admit that they have committed a doping offence,” Ings told 3AW.
“That is a completely different proposition.
“This is a critical admission, it may expedite things, but there is still more investigating to complete.”
ASADA and AFL investigators have interviewed Watson and it is understood he had already admitted to taking AOD-9604 before Monday’s startling TV interview.
It is unclear why Watson made the admission, which is a major change to previous comments that Essendon players have made on the issue.
The club’s stance has repeatedly been that no-one at Essendon can comment until the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and AFL investigations are finalised.
Essendon are stunned that Watson spoke so candidly about the issue.
The Bombers skipper said on Tuesday afternoon he would make no further comment.
Essendon also released a statement, saying it was “a complex and difficult area”.
“But our club considers that our players have acted reasonably during the 2012 season,” the statement added.
“The club notes that it is yet to be determined whether any of our players in the 2012 season were given prohibited or performance enhancing substances.”
Fahey told the AFL website on Tuesday: “whether or not there’s any mitigating circumstances depends on individual cases, and that’s a matter for ASADA who are currently investigating it.”
Ings added Essendon must produce evidence if they are arguing that an anti-doping body had told them AOD-9604 was not banned.
“They really need to produce that get out of jail card,” he said.
Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett was the latest AFL figure on Tuesday to say that Watson should lose the Brownlow if found guilty of a doping offence.
The AFL is hopeful the ASADA investigation will wrap up in early August.
The only AFL comment on Tuesday about Watson’s revelation is that the investigations are ongoing.
