The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority has warned it could "reissue doping allegations" against Australian Football League side Essendon players within 24 hours if its investigation is "found to be illegal," according to the AAP. Essendon's court battle with the anti-doping body has "concluded with Justice John Middleton reserving his decision" on whether ASADA and the AFL’s probe of Essendon was unlawful. ASADA, however, believes it could "simply reacquire the investigation details from the AFL and renew its pursuit of the Bombers, regardless of the outcome." ASADA counsel Tom Howe said to the federal court in Melbourne, "ASADA can reacquire the same information, could do it within 24 hours" (AAP, 8/13). In Sydney, Pierik & Cooper reported Howe "all but said ASADA was determined to push ahead with its case against the 34 current and former Essendon players regardless" of the verdict. Middleton, though, warned Howe "there could be another legal challenge should ASADA seek to secure the same information within 24 hours of this verdict." Essendon Chair Paul Little said he was "unsure if the evidence gathered by ASADA would be scrapped if Justice Middleton ruled in the club's favour." Little: "That's a question the judge will answer ... But at this point in time the judge has got a lot in front of him, so we need to respect that and just wait for his decision" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/13).
