Australian Football League side Essendon's supplements crisis "has claimed its biggest scalp so far," with Essendon CEO IAN ROBSON resigning, according to Brodie & Niall of THE AGE. Robson said that "he had offered to resign as soon as the extent of the club's supplements crisis was revealed in February." His said that "his resignation has now been accepted and he would leave the club immediately." In "a lengthy statement," Robson said that "if there was a line in the sand on the issue of drugs in sport, he wanted to be on the side of 'health and safety for players' and the fairness of the game." Robson: "I did not know (about the club's suplements crisis), but I should have known" (THE AGE, 5/23). In Sydney, Walsh & Denham reported Robson has "refused to endorse" JAMES HIRD as Essendon's coach." Robson "declined the opportunity to give Hird his backing amid the certainty others with knowledge of the scandal will be sacked in coming months." Robson said, "Given I'm now the former CEO, that question probably should go to the chairman" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/24).
