Australian Football League To Drop Case Against Essendon Club Doctor Bruce Reid

The Australian Football League "has moved to abandon its case against Essendon club doctor Bruce Reid to avoid answering allegations of bias about its handing of the supplement scandal that engulfed this season," according to Chip Le Grand of THE AUSTRALIAN. AFL Chair Mike Fitzpatrick put a settlement offer to Essendon President Paul Little in which Reid "would be cleared of all charges and face no penalty for his role in failing to prevent Essendon players being exposed to health risks and, potentially, anti-doping violations through the injection of exotic supplements" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 9/13). NEWS LIMITED NETWORK reported Essendon has launched legal action and demanded an apology from Carlton CEO Greg Swann after he labeled the Bombers "cheats." Swann said that the Blues deserved to be in the finals because Essendon had "cheated," in reference to the club's supplement's saga (NEWS LIMITED NETWORK, 9/12).