Aker's 'EPO cheat' named on Ch. 7 news

[hammo]

Aker cracks me up. The game needs more people like him. People are afraid to open their mouths in case the draconian afl slaps a fine on them. He didn't name anyone. He did no wrong.

Oh come on. What a ridiculous assertion.

It doesn't matter that he didn't name anyone, the fact that he made unsubstantiated allegations that he once played on someone who had taken EPO is damaging to the game.

There are other ways to raise concerns than the public route taken by Akermanis.

[NMWBloods]

I don't think Aker's done much wrong. He raises the possibility of drugs in football. No one paid much attention his article. He tells ASDA of his concerns and yet again there is a leak from ASDA.

The atrocious handling of drugs in the sport by the AFL shows that perhaps there is no other real avenue besides bringing it out in the public forum.

[swansrock4eva]

I'm with you, Nick. I didn't see him name names in that article. It wasn't hard to have a guess which team/s the player might have come from based on the information he gave, but the article also had a touch of "sore loser" about it, which diminished its credibility (even further once you get past the fact that it's an Aker piece) imho.

Then suddenly Channel 7 is out and about touting Braun's name, and everyone is saying it's come from Aker's mouth or that original article or ASADA or WADA or the bloke's dog down the road. It's been handled VERY poorly by many organisations, no doubt about that, but the AFL and ASADA need to take a very strong public stand - determine where that leak came from, acknowledge it and deal with that breach in its own right, then deal with the specific Braun allegation - either they have enough evidence to say "yes he has taken EPO" and punish accordingly or they don't up to this point in time, so should be apologising unreservedly to him. Aker should be dealt with based on his true role in proceedings - if all he has done really is to write an article about a nameless player, and deliver his concerns directly to the appropriate bodies, then he can't be blamed for the leak. If he has contributed directly to the leak of Braun's name, then he should be dealt with accordingly.

You'd also hope Ch 7 might be dealt with too - like it or not, they were desperate to crack the story and open this can of worms, and have made a right mess of things in the process.

Having said all of that, I really don't expect much of it to happen, given how weak the AFL administration is, which is disappointing because this is a situation where a really strong, decisive and positive stand could be taken, but clearly it's going to be an ongoing mess instead.

[Industrial Fan]

Would there be a concern from WCE point of view that he would have to be tested to prove his innocence and launch a court case?

Even then, from what I've read on EPO (which is by no means extensive) it is almost untraceable from about two weeks after it is taken but the effects kick on so there is no real way from that, to PROVE that he hasn't taken it before. Unless a 3rd party comes forward against him. Which is even more unlikely.

[ScottH]

Andy D has just asked the media to be a bit more sensitive ehnr it comes to releasing this type of information.

[floppinab]

Andy D has just asked the media to be a bit more sensitive ehnr it comes to releasing this type of information.

Ah yes, the belt them across the face with a feather approach.............

[ScottH]

Ah yes, the belt them across the face with a feather approach.............

He can't control what they do with the information, once they have. (How ever they got it).

But the media needs to take some responsibility with allegations, that could do damage to a person/family/club/game.

[573v30]

We all remember the "gambling scandal" don't we? Kieran Jack having is face on the front page of News Ltd. papers around the country as if he's a wanted criminal, all because he put a couple of $5 bets on a couple of games not involving the Swans.

The Victorian media can be ruthless when it comes to AFL related incidents and don't think ahead about the consequences. I wonder where and how they got Braun's name in this incident?

[Damien]

I wonder where and how they got Braun's name in this incident?

I think that should be the AFLs biggest concern really.

Aker wrote about playing against someone he believed was on drugs, then provided the name to ASADA when told to provide information.

You want to encourage confidential information being supplied to testers, all this sorry set of events does is ensure no current players write about drugs or provide information. Maybe that's all the AFL wants.

[Lucky Knickers]

There still remains the leak of the names of the 3 players with the two-strikes that hasn't been resolved as well as who leaked Graeme Cornes that the the testers were on their way to Ports training.
AFL need to take some action on the agencies.

[ScottH]

There still remains the leak of the names of the 3 players with the two-strikes that hasn't been resolved as well as who leaked Graeme Cornes that the the testers were on their way to Ports training.
AFL need to take some action on the agencies.

Yes, this is why the players don't trust the testing. Too many leaks (guffaw).

The difference with the other 3 unnamed players is they actually tested positive, twice. Braun has not tested positive to anything, as far as we know yet.

[hammo]

But the media needs to take some responsibility with allegations, that could do damage to a person/family/club/game.

One way to make them take more responsibility would be to sue them for defamation.

[ScottH]

One way to make them take more responsibility would be to sue them for defamation.

Yep, Brauns management are looking at those options, so will be interesting to see what happens as a result.

[Layby]

His manager should consider dental work

[Wardy]

His manager should consider dental work

You would think with the fees Managers charge he could afford to have the dental work done - I take it they look like a piano keyboard?