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AFLPA acting CEO Ian Prendergast said on Wednesday it was impossible for players served with notices to respond before Essendon's legal action against the joint investigation – starting on June 27 – was resolved.  

"The stay we're requesting is for the Federal Court matter to be finally resolved, and for the players' process to proceed in the event the process isn't knocked out through the challenge the club has issued," he said.

"We've simply requested the evidence be provided for the purpose of responding to the show-cause notices.

"Largely, we're in the dark at the moment in terms of being able to properly advise these players, who have fully cooperated through the process.

"I would think in terms of ASADA's duty as a model litigant, they'd provide that evidence so we can give them advice based on what – if anything – has been gathered since the interim report.

"The threshold for the show-cause stage of the process is very low. It's based on a possibility, but we would still like to see the evidence that allegation is based on."

ASADA is yet to respond to the association's request.

Prendergast also took aim at new ASADA CEO Ben McDevitt, who repeatedly stressed during his media blitz last week that players could earn sentence reductions if they cooperated with the anti-doping body.

He said the players deserved to be shown the evidence against them after cooperating with ASADA throughout the inquiry.

"The players have done nothing but fully cooperate … and that continues to be the case today," he said.

"We're now looking for cooperation from ASADA in terms of providing the evidence that they've gathered since the interim report was released and players were told no cases would be prosecuted based on the evidence that existed at that time.

"At this stage I'm not aware of any players who believe they've taken a banned substance.

"Without the evidence, I struggle to understand how a player could get his head around taking any proposed penalty as was floated by Mr McDevitt over the weekend."

Prendergast said the players were focused on the advice they were receiving from the AFLPA legal team outside of the club's court challenge.

The Bombers have lodged action against the legitimacy of the AFL/ASADA investigation.

He said the players were comfortable with the club's decision as long as it didn't affect their own proceedings.

"We're focused on exploring all of the players' legal options and the legal team is of the view that any action taken by the Essendon Football Club or others shouldn't prejudice the rights of the players in this matter."

Prendergast said the players had not yet been advised of their legal rights against Essendon should they be served with infraction notices.

"At this stage, we're focused on the issuing of the show-cause notices in relation to their legal rights," he said.

He added that the players had a right to believe in the agreement reportedly struck between the AFL and ASADA in February 2013 that indicated they would escape penalty because of their "exceptional circumstances".

"These players took all reasonable steps. They sought further information from the club in relation to the substances they were to be provided with as part of the program," he said.

"It lead to a series of meetings and consent forms, which clearly stated that these substances were approved by the WADA code and had been approved by club doctor.

"They're also bound by their contracts to follow any legal direction by their employer, the Essendon Football Club.

"Their education through ASADA and the AFL says if in doubt, make sure your doctor approves anything that enters your body.

"They followed that to the letter of the law, and I think those circumstances should absolutely be taken into consideration."

News Limited reported the behind-the-scenes agreement was struck between the AFL and ASADA and shown to the players 15 days after the doping scandal began early last year.

Twitter: @AFL_JenPhelan