AFL issues infraction notices against past and present Bombers
UPDATE: AFLPA hopes new charges will bring matter to a head
THE AFL Players' Association hopes the delivery of infraction notices to 34 past and present Essendon players will see the matter dealt with quickly.
After almost two years the AFL on Friday afternoon formally charged the players over the alleged use of a banned peptide Thymosin beta-4 in 2012.
"The decision by the AFL to issue infraction notices keeps this process moving and we look forward to this issue being resolved as soon as possible," AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said on Saturday.
The laying of charges quickly follows Thursday's announcement that the 34 players had been placed on the Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel's register of findings.
That means the AFL will soon convene Tribunal hearings run by independent chairman David Jones, a former County Court judge.
Jones is set to conduct a directions hearing early next week to determine how the process will work.
The identities of the players remain confidential at this stage.
It’s understood the AFL is not opposed to the idea of tribunal hearings being open to the media, but strict confidentiality clauses in the anti-doping process could prove a major road block.
An Essendon spokesman repeated "the club will continue to support the players during this process" but referred enquiries back to the players' association, which is representing the players' legal interests.