Supplements request saw club doctor frozen out
Date
April 12, 2013
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Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker, Caroline Wilson, Andrew Wu
The South Yarra doctor who authorised blood tests for Essendon players at the request of sports scientist Steve Dank has said it was ''really weird'' that he was used rather than the Bombers' club doctor, Bruce Reid.
Amid other revelations in the growing scandal, Fairfax Media can reveal that:
■ Numerous text messages between coach James Hird and Dank show the coach was told specific details about the supplement program, including the use of intravenous administration;
■ Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigators are trying to build a doping case against Essendon over its use of anti-obesity drug AOD9604 and have sought information about a corporate presentation given last year by the drug's maker to Hird and chairman David Evans;
The suspected freezing out of Dr Reid from the Bombers' supplement program is a key part of the serious internal governance failings at the club, which contributed to players being exposed to potential health and doping risks.
It's understood that Dr Reid, who has been at the club for many years and is close to many of its senior officials, has been interviewed at length by ASADA investigators about his concerns about the supplement program, which saw players injected or administered with a range of unusual supplements.
Another club doctor, Brendan De Morton, has also been interviewed by ASADA. Dr Reid has provided ASADA with copious notes of practices which worried him and warnings he gave.
Dr Reid said he voiced his misgivings to several administrators across the club along with key football department personnel.
Dr Reid reported that he wrote to the board with his concerns, although it remains uncertain whether the Essendon directors were ever made aware of that letter.
South Yarra doctor Robin Willcourt has told Fairfax Media it was unusual he was called on as an external doctor by Mr Dank.
Dr Willcourt said that he signed off on forms for the players to get blood tests at the request of Dank, who asked for his informal advice on improving player health.
Dr Willcourt, an anti-ageing and sports nutrition doctor who was the former medical director at Adelaide's Queen Elizabeth Hospital pregnancy centre, said: ''I agree that looking at it now, it is really weird that they didn't get the club doctor to sign off on the requests. But at the time, I didn't think much about it. The whole issue of doping was the farthest thing from my mind.''
Dr Willcourt never treated or met any players, never signed off on any prescriptions and did not order or administer any supplements to players.
He said that, at the request of Dank, he ''informally reviewed'' the player's blood test results compiled by a pathologist. ''I looked at the blood-work of about 20 players and gave my comments, like, 'This guy needs his growth hormone up or his testosterone up'.''
The pair also discussed what supplements could achieve the desired results.
The revelations come after AFL chief Andrew Demetriou and Evans both said that action would be taken against any Essendon club official found to have acted improperly in exposing players to potentially risky supplement practices.
The two were responding to reports on Thursday in Fairfax Media about Hird's strong backing and encouragement of Dank's supplement program, as well as claims from the sports scientist that Hird was also injected with supplements, including one banned for use in players by doping authorities.
Demetriou says Hird will be held accountable if he has put the duty of care to his players at risk.
Although shocked by the ''very serious'' allegations levelled at Hird and Essendon, Demetriou said there would be no action taken until ASADA completed its investigations.
But he warned any cheats would be thrown ''out of the game''.
'''No person or action that seeks to gain advantage by improper means will be tolerated in this code.''
