Bombers chairman David Evans rejects accusations that players are gaining any advantage this season

Research carried out in the last few years has shown that if you were to take the controversial supplements (peptides) you are likely to suffer from soft tissue injures while playing. Bombers had the highest rate of soft tissue injures in the league last year.

Bombers chairman David Evans says his club will prove it is not gaining any advantage this season from the controversial supplement program carried out last year.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou spoke about rival clubs saying bombers having an unfair advantage because of they unbeaten start to they season. 

Evans repeated on Friday that he would not publicly detail the practices that took place at the club last season while the AFL and Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) investigation into whether they breached anti-doping rules continues.

"I would like to thank Andrew Demetriou for his support of the club yesterday when he warned other clubs against what he called scurrilous innuendo that our players have some kind of advantage," Evans said at a Bombers' pre-match function.

"I can also promise you this: whatever happened last year with what I conceded were irregular practices, there is no advantage to our players and this will be proven."

Evans said it was tough having the club being the subject of constant speculation without being able to publicly fight back, given the Bombers don't want to compromise the investigation.

"I would love nothing more than to be correcting some of the more wild accusations and speculation that's occurred over the time," he said.

"But I ask you again for your patience while we let the AFL and ASADA investigation take its course."

He said the Bombers could at least take heart that their players were showing maturity and character in adversity.

"These young men are utter professionals in what they are doing week in and week out," he said.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/demetriou-slams-rumours/video-e6frf33l-1226634730466?subcat=1225916318050

  

Drugs in sports

New evidence has surfaced about a convicted drug trafficker claiming he had helped NRL and AFL players dope and avoid positive blood tests.

Controversial sports biochemist Shane Charter, who worked for AFL club Essendon as a strength and nutrition adviser, made the new claims in an interview on Four Corners in which he was asked:

Just to be clear, you've assisted NRL players and AFL players with their use of performance-enhancing drugs? He replied: I've kept them in a safe and non-toxic range so that they didn't do long-term damage to themselves.

Charter made headlines on Saturday when he revealed he had even been asked by underworld figures to spike players' supplements with illegal drugs so they could be blackmailed into joining a match-fixing ring. He denied ever having done so.

This is a massive step forward in finding out the drug cheats in sport. Its looking more and more suspicious every day. Its not looking very good for Australian sport right now. As a massive Bombers fan I'm really hoping they have done nothing wrong, fingers crossed. 

Bombers have won 5 out 5 this season and they are looking in the best form they have been in for quite some time.

COME ON THE BOMBERS!!!!!!

ASADA investigation taking its toll on the Cronulla Sharks

As soon as NRL chief executive Dave Smith announced that 31 players were being targeted by a new ASADA (Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority) investigation into drugs in sport, information that the Cronulla Sharks would be a focus of this process surfaced.

After putting together one of the strongest teams the Sharks ever over the offseason, there were many expectations of greater success for the sharks this season. We are now coming up to round 7 and the Sharks have only won 2 of their 6 matches, with many pointing at the ongoing ASADA investigation as a major reason for this poor performance.

The ASADA investigation requires players to participate in a grueling and lengthy interview process, with a constant communication stream between players, their lawyers and their managers to ensure that they are protected. As reflected by many high profile figures in the NRL such as commentators, previous NRL greats and coaches, the switch in focus from sport to the investigation, both physically and mentally, makes in impossible for the Sharks players to be in the best form. As Brad Fittler put it, “They can’t have any intensity at all because what is on their mind all the time is what the lawyers have just been speaking about… they are going home with problems on their mind”.

A real controversy on this issue awakened when Sharks Coach Tim Flanagan finally admitted that the ongoing ASADA investigation was taking its toll on the teams preparation and game. He admitted after a couple of consecutive losses that he was trying to play down the investigation in order for the team and followers to concentrate on the game however now notes that preparation is being stunted “because there is too much stuff going on off the field”.

All participants and followers of the game are hoping that the investigation concludes on the earlier end of the four to six weeks initially exclaimed as the expected length of the investigation, especially considering the secrecy and lack of information to players, teams and fans from ASADA on their progress and findings. Worried sports fans are anticipating the process to drag out for extended periods and are expecting other teams to be more conclusively dragged into the investigation, thus damaging their season as well. The weight that is on the Sharks players and staff will hopefully be lifted as the focus on them wraps up, helping them to regain the best chance of turning around their season before its too late.

A lot weighing on the sharks minds...