Ex-Hawk in deal to sell peptides
February 12, 2013
Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker and Caroline Wilson
FORMER Hawthorn and All Australian player Trent Croad was involved in a peptide supply deal linked to an outlaw bikie gang, in the latest revelation to emerge in the sport supplement scandal.
Fairfax Media can also reveal that about 50 serving and former professional sportsmen, including players from six NRL clubs - Cronulla, Manly, Canberra, Penrith, the Newcastle Knights and North Queensland - are under scrutiny over their personal supplement use.
Fairfax Media is not suggesting the players breached doping rules, but their supplement use is being examined by authorities.
Sources in the sports science and supplement industry confirmed that Croad's activities had been scrutinised by the Australian Crime Commission, along with that of several supplement industry figures, as part of its year-long probe into drugs and organised crime in sport.
The sources said the former Hawthorn premiership player had confided to friends that late last year he had met figures associated with the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang. The meeting was at the Olsen Hotel in Melbourne and was in connection to a deal involving the sale by Croad of a large amount of peptides to be sourced from Sydney.
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AFL sources also said that Croad had approached at least two football clubs with offers to supply them with supplements. Business documents show that in September last year Croad started a company called Pharma Ventures.
At the time of the Olsen Hotel meeting, peptides were unregulated and it was not illegal to sell them. It is understood that Croad had expressed surprise that the Comancheros attended the meeting.
Hawthorn chief executive Stuart Fox said his club had not been alerted by the AFL or the ACC regarding Croad's peptide supply activity. Fairfax Media does not believe Croad is the player singled out by the AFL as being investigated by the ACC for using performance-enhancing drugs. That player is currently playing in the AFL.
Croad worked in a senior role at the Epigenx medical practice in Toorak until late last year, when he unexpectedly severed ties with the clinic.
On Monday night Croad had no comment to make when asked about his alleged meeting with the bikies or his time with Epigenx.
The Epigenx clinic's founder is a respected doctor, Robin Willcourt, who last season worked with the Essendon Football Club's sports scientist, Stephen Dank, to examine blood samples from the team's players.
On Monday, Dr Willcourt stressed that his clinic had no role in supplying any pharmaceuticals or sporting supplements, and that if his patients wanted such supplements they had to take their prescription to a pharmacist.
He declined to talk about
Croad's conduct or why Croad had left Epigenx, stating that: ''Mr Croad's activities are a matter for him.''
Fairfax Media can also reveal that a South Yarra pharmacist, Nima Alavi, supplied supplements to several of the sporting codes now under scrutiny.
A leaked invoice, dated January 31, 2013, shows Mr Alavi had previously supplied supplements to Mr Dank while he was heading Essendon's sports science department. The invoice does not show what product was supplied.
As a compound pharmacist, Mr Alavi's job involves mixing medicines for patients who have a prescription from a doctor.
It is not improper to sell many peptides, but their use by professional athletes may breach anti-doping regulations.
Last week, Mr Alavi told the Crikey website that Mr Dank had visited his pharmacy 12 months ago and was ''coming in and proposing all sorts of crazy things'' but that his business was not involved in any impropriety.
On Monday, Mr Alavi's website was listing as ''coming soon'' the hormone peptide GHRP6, which is at the centre of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's investigation that has been triggered by the ACC inquiry.
Fairfax Media is not suggesting that any of the activities of Mr Alavi have been improper.
Last week, the federal government moved to introduce new laws to ban the sale of more types of peptides without a prescription.
Mr Dank on Monday night told the ABC's 7.30 program that Essendon coach James Hird and other club officials were fully aware of the supplements program he provided for players last year, adding that some club staff also took the products.
''It was a collective involvement … always detailed discussion with the head coach James Hird. There was always discussion with the club doctor [Bruce Reid],'' he said.
He denied ever administering any banned performance-enhancing substance at Essendon or during his stints at NRL clubs.
Mr Dank said it was ''foolish to think Essendon were the only club that were looking at these sort of programs''.
