Essendon great Tim Watson says parents of the AFL club’s players are now feeling more assured about the Bombers’ controversial supplements program following a meeting with officials on Tuesday night.
Watson, the father of current club captain Jobe Watson, says the parents asked about any side effects of anything their children were given as a result of the program, which is now under investigation by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.
“The club have tried to have been as open as they possibly can right throughout this and that’s what they were again tonight and of all the substances in this ASADA report, they gave a detailed account of the effects of those, if there were any, and those fears have been allayed,” Watson said.
It comes as sports medicine specialist Andrew Garnham said on Tuesday he had asked ASADA in February about the status of AOD-9604 in his capacity as a member of the AFL’s anti-doping tribunal jury.
“I was inquiring so there was some clarification as to where the matter might be heading,” Garnham told Fox Footy’s AFL 360 program.
“The advice that I had at that time was that AOD-9604 was considered under section S2 of the anti-doping code and was regarded as not prohibited.
“I’m aware that other people within the AFL had been in contact with ASADA. I’m not sure exactly what time period.”
Asked if AOD-9604 was a prohibited substance according to ASADA when he inquired in February 2013, Garnham said: “At that point in time, no.”
“There was some discussion with people in the AFL and also at that stage I’d been in contact with members of the Essendon Football Club,” Garnham added.
Essendon confirmed on Tuesday they were seeking a delay to the AFL Commission hearing due for August 26.