The Bombers were one of two AFL clubs named on Thursday as having players involved in dealing with insolvent charity, Unity Foundation.
NRL officials investigated the company for its arrangements with the Melbourne Storm not long before the club was hit with its huge sanctions for cheating rugby league’s salary cap.
However Essendon chief executive officer Ian Robson said on Friday he had been disappointed by media reports that had insinuated there had been some form of wrongdoing at Windy Hill.
“We are confident that any past relationship between this charity and a few players was at arm's length of the club and was bona fide,” Robson said.
“We are happy to assist the liquidator looking into Unity Foundation's financial records but we are not happy at the attempts by some media to link us to illegal player payments.”
Robson confirmed some Bombers had been in contact with Unity Foundation, but said AFL players, including any Bombers, were allowed to do paid work for charities or businesses independent of the club.
“It is important for Essendon members and supporters to understand that from a salary cap perspective, the Unity Foundation situation - in which Essendon players were engaged in charity work independent of the club, is no different to Channel 9 paying Essendon players to appear on The Footy Show,” he said.
The charity - which is independent of the Essendon Football Club - was founded by former St Kilda players Xavier Clarke and Alan Murray.
The Unity Foundation situation was raised on Thursday’s night’s The Footy Show.
Kelly Wright, the director of Vince & Associates appointed to investigate Unity Foundation, told The Footy Show players from St Kilda - as well as Essendon - had also been asked to explain payments from the charity organisation.
