Former World Anti-Doping Agency President John Fahey and outgoing Australian Football League CEO Andrew Demetriou have "lamented the so-called 'blackest day in Australian sport' press conference -- an event both men have depicted as a concocted stunt that harmed the unprecedented investigations that ensued," according to Samantha Lane of THE AGE. Fahey, now retired from WADA, said that he had heard "no good justification for the media conference" in Feb. '13 that announced doping probes "would be launched into Australia's two leading football codes." Demetriou, soon to "depart the AFL," vented on a "similar theme" at a sports integrity forum in Melbourne on Tuesday. Fahey: "In my six years as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency ... I've never seen any case conducted in a similar manner." Fahey added, "In this case we were told from the beginning that there was a problem. We were told that problem involved several codes, we were told it involved not only performance-enhancing drugs, but illegal drugs and a probable connection to the underworld and a possible match fixing" (THE AGE, 5/27). In Melbourne, Grant Baker reported Demetriou said that the press conference that started the investigation "severely damaged" the probe and "impugned just about every athlete in the country." Fahey said when asked if the announcement of the investigation was politically motivated, "We must be forgiven for believing it was political -- I think we've got good reason to think it probably was" (HERALD SUN, 5/27).
PARTING SHOT: In Brisbane, Roger Vaughan reported Demetriou used one of his "last public appearances" to deride "controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank." Demetriou said that "there was a place in sport for science, but it must not have too much influence." He then "made a point of mentioning Dank, who is a central figure" in the ongoing Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigations into Australian Football League side Essendon and National Rugby League side Cronulla. Demetriou: "To this day, I'm not quite sure whether Stephen Dank is a sports scientist, to be honest" (BRISBANE TIMES, 5/27).
MCLACHLAN BACKS GWS: In Sydney, Tom Decent reported incoming AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has "thrown his support behind" the Greater Western Sydney Giants, "despite consecutive 100-point losses." McLachlan defended the competition's "newest club, whose last victory came in round three against the Melbourne Demons." McLachlan: "They (GWS) have an extraordinary amount of talent there; they'll have their ups and downs, but we're incredibly confident where they'll be on the field in the next year or two and hopefully the broader success follows" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 5/27). In Melbourne, Caroline Wilson reported the AFL has "seconded an international high-performance expert dubbed 'The Unconventional Fixer' to prepare a report on Greater Western Sydney's training program and personnel." The AFL is understood to have funded Dr. Fergus Connolly's "10-day secondment to observe and review the Giants program." Connolly left the club on Monday and is "now set to take over the sport science program" for the NFL San Francisco 49ers (THE AGE, 5/27).
