Outgoing Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority chief executive Aurora Andruska told a Senate committee on Wednesday night the 13-month investigation into the use of drugs in the AFL and NRL was over.
ASADA will now prepare briefs for retired Federal Court judge Garry Downes to review.
Downes will decide whether to pursue any cases against individuals.
AFL football operations manager Mark Evans told a news conference on Thursday the matter remained in ASADA's hands.
"I know that they've presented something for determination," he said.
"But they'll contact us when they're ready to tell us something further.
"I don't think anything you read today is new.
"I'd also be surprised whether there's a full stop on to anything.
"People would always reserve the right to review things in the future anyway."
Asked if ASADA had confirmed player infraction notices would be sent to Essendon, Evans said that had not been established.
"That's not how I read that," he said.
"I think they said they'd concluded this stage of their investigation and they're now handing it over for some determination decisions."
Andruska said Downes would review the briefs and make his own decisions.
"He's providing an independent view. This has been an investigation that's been under extreme scrutiny from the beginning," Andruska said.
Federal sports minister Peter Dutton, who appointed Downes to the role, is expecting the retired judge to provide an assessment by April.
The AFL handed down a series of penalties to Essendon in August 2013 for bringing the league into disrepute over their use of supplements.
Those penalties included a ban from the 2013 finals series, exclusion from the 2013 draft, a $2 million fine and a 12-month suspension for coach James Hird.
