Essendon players “to appeal ban”
UPDATED: Essendon players hit by bans in the wake of the AFL’s supplements scandal are “likely” to appeal their guilty verdict in the Swiss Federal Court.
Nathan Lovett-Murray's agent Peter Jess says several players will appeal the Essendon doping ban. Photo: Joe Castro, AAP.
Player manager Peter Jess, purporting to speak for 15 of the 34 implicated Bombers, told Adelaide radio station FIVEaa yesterday: “Yes, it will happen.”
The players have until February 10 to lodge an appeal to the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which last month upheld the World Anti-Doping Authority’s doping accusation against the club.
Jess said the appeal would be lodged on the grounds of “procedural fairness”, but added: “I’m certainly not hopeful.”
And even if the appeal is allowed to proceed, it will not overturn the current ban preventing 17 current players across five clubs from contesting the 2016 AFL season.
“I think they’ll just get to a hearing which will happen in another year or so,” Jess said of the most optimistic scenario.
“At best-case, it’s extremely difficult; at worst case, you’ve given an overseas trip to a bunch of lawyers.
“[But] there are guys who have a very firm belief that they’re not guilty, from a procedural point of view.”
He said the appeal “is more something the boys want to do from the heart, more than from the head… [so that] when they finish the game [they can say] I’ve tried everything and it’s succeeded or failed”.
“There’s no question the decision is absolutely flawed,” Jess said, “but the way it’s structured is so difficult to overturn.”
Jess said he expected action to be funded by the club and the AFL Players Association – a gambit that drew a sharp response from AFLPA boss Paul Marsh.
Marsh said his association had not funded any of the 34 players’ legal bills so far during the supplements saga and would not change that policy.
“Peter’s comments probably show how disconnected he is to actually what’s happening here with the 34 players,” Marsh said.
“He certainly shouldn’t be talking on behalf of any other player, [other] than Nathan [Lovett-Murray, who Jess represents].”
Nonetheless, Marsh said he expects several players to appeal against their bans.
Asked if some of the 34 current and former players would appeal, he told SEN Radio: “It’s quite possible – it’s quite likely, I should say.”
-with AAP
