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THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2013 SPORTS Bombers banned from AFL finals in supplements saga MELBOURNE: Essendon has been banned described it as a “sorry saga” and said it charged Essendon, Hird, the club’s doctor laid against any Essendon player, although ments used in the club’s sports science from the Australian Football League finals was the most significant sanction ever and two other officials with bringing the the AFL made it clear its sanctions were for program, the controversy rose to another series and fined $2 million in the first imposed in the league. game into disrepute. Hird, who was a star governance and management failings. level last week when the AFL released a major sanctions imposed since national Yesterday, Hird told media outside his player for the club before becoming coach, Essendon chairman Paul Little said Hird letter from Reid - written in January 2012 - anti-doping authorities revealed a wide- Melbourne home that he took a “level of received the harshest ban. Football man- had shown remorse, had taken the fall for protesting the “ludicrous” use of supple- ranging investigation into the use of responsibility” for what had occurred. ager Danny Corcoran was banned for six the club, and would be welcomed back as ments at the club. banned substances in professional sports. “There’s things that went on at our foot- months and assistant coach Mark coach when his ban expired. Little later Reid wrote the letter to Hird, among oth- The AFL Commission announced the ball club that shouldn’t have happened Thompson was fined $30,000. said Hird will be offered a contract exten- ers, saying drugs were given to players with- sanctions Tuesday against the club and last year, and as senior coach I have to take Club doctor Bruce Reid is fighting the sion and could coach the team again in the out his knowledge and that “we are playing three of its staff, including a 12-month some responsibility for what happened charges and is expected to face the AFL 2015 season. “James Hird told the commis- at the edge and this will read extremely bad- ban for head coach James Hird for bring- and not doing more to stop it,” Hird said. commission again today. Essendon, one of sion tonight he had taken responsibility for ly in the press for our club.” ing the game into disrepute. Commission The Bombers, who were in seventh the biggest clubs in the most-followed the shortcomings in the 2012 supplements Players were allegedly injected with sub- chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said the place and had already qualified for next football league in Australia, will be program,” Little said. The AFL has urged stances including AOD9604, now listed by Bombers had set up a supplements pro- month’s finals, have been under investiga- deemed to have finished ninth in the 2013 sports scientist Stephen Dank, a central WADA as a banned substance. Hird initially gram that was “experimental, inappropri- tion by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping competition and will lose their first- and figure in the 2012 supplements program at said the letter, gathered as part of the ASA- ate and inadequately vetted and con- Agency and the AFL since February over second-round picks for next season’s play- the Bombers who had worked at other DA investigation, was a deliberate attempt trolled” and failed to protect the health, the club’s 2012 supplements program. er draft under the sanctions imposed by football clubs in Australia, to meet with by the league to discredit him. He launched welfare and safety of players. After receiving an interim report of the the AFL. The ASADA investigation is con- league and ASADA officials. After months legal action but withdrew the action after AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou investigations earlier this month, the AFL tinuing and no doping charges have been of leaks and reports about the supple- two days of meetings with the AFL.—AP Ryan a near-lock to be first coach fired NEW YORK: Even with the start of the knew. NFL season nearly two weeks away, you In hindsight, putting Buddy’s reputa- don’t need a Las Vegas bookmaker to tion for handling QBs alongside Rex’s, it’s pick a favorite for the first coach likely to probable that whenever the word “quar- be fired. It’s Rex Ryan. At the rate he’s terback” came up during those study ses- burning through whatever goodwill is sions, it was followed by words like “crush” left on the Jets’ side of town, he’ll be and “destroy.” Based on the way Rex Ryan lucky to still be working the sideline has brought Sanchez along, not to men- when they kick it off for real Sept. 8 tion his flirtation with Tim Tebow, it’s clear against Tampa Bay. his thinking hasn’t evolved much. Ryan was eerily calm at a news confer- “I like where our quarterbacks are,” ence Monday, fending off question after Ryan said at one point Monday. There’s no question about: a) his bizarre decision to point in reciting preseason stats, but suf- risk quarterback Mark Sanchez’ health fice it to say Ryan is in denial. At least that late in Saturday night’s preseason game may explain his eerie calm. Sanchez has against the crosstown Giants; and b) the rarely been a serviceable NFL quarter- even-more bizarre postgame meltdown back, and after Ryan sent him back into during which Ryan did everything - Saturday night’s meaningless game including invoking the Constitution - to behind a line made up of scrubs, he’s as avoid explaining that decision. far away as ever. Top draft pick Geno “Do I regret that he got injured? Of Smith threw three interceptions in the course,” Ryan finally acknowledged a day same game and just for good measure, and a half later. “But again, I’m not going stepped out of the end zone in a panic to say anything more about it, because I and got whistled for a safety. covered that already.” Ryan’s job was already on the line at Not surprising, the next question was the end of last season. Idzik inherited him whether Jets owner Woody Johnson or and barely needs an excuse to disown new general manager John Idzik had him. Even so, Ryan handed him all the spoken to Ryan about his performance excuses he needed Saturday night. Asked Saturday night. about Sanchez and how he planned to “No. Absolutely not,” Ryan replied, solve the glaring quarterbacking problem before heading for the exit. Even if that’s on his hands, Ryan threw a fit. Like a man true, he’ll be called to the principal’s office walking on coals, he shuffled from side to ZURICH: Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (right) receives Fuleco, the mascot of the FIFA Football World Cup Brazil 2014 from FIFA President soon enough. Ryan came to town four side and even narrated the scene. Sepp Blatter, during his visit to the Home of FIFA in Zurich. —AFP years ago with impeccable defensive cre- “I’ll stand backwards and answer the dentials, plenty of bluster and a promise question,” he said, then segued into, “I’m to win championships. Instead, his tenure going sideways.” Bolt sees greatness in has provided a textbook study on why If Johnson and Idzik are genuinely wor- some very smart coordinators aren’t cut ried about the Jets’ season, let alone the out to be head coaches: They talk a great team’s reputation, they might as well start game, but they only really “get” what hap- negotiating the severance check now and 3rd Olympic triple gold pens on what used to be their side of the nudge Ryan in the direction of the back ball. door. His stay began with plenty of fan- ZURICH: Usain Bolt aims to achieve greatness with ters, across the city from the stadium where he will Ukrainian when taking the world title in Moscow. In Ryan’s case, it almost seems genetic. fare and some impressive results - back- a third Olympic triple gold-medal haul at the 2016 run today. Bolt was greeted on arrival by FIFA “Many people wait for the world record. I can’t His father, Buddy, was the same way. It’s to-back losses in the AFC championship Rio de Janeiro Games. “To actually go to Rio and President Sepp Blatter, and later accepted a blue just decide when I jump the world record, or I also why Ryan’s twin brother, Rob, cur- game - but like Buddy, given enough win again would be a feat in itself,” Bolt said yester- FIFA football shirt bearing his name and the No. 9. would do it,” said Bondarenko, who looked forward rently in New Orleans beginning his time, he wears a team out. day, speaking ahead of the Weltklasse Diamond Blatter joked that nine seconds was probably to competing in a more relaxed setting Thursday. “I fourth stint as a defensive coordinator in The Jets are tired, or else incapable, of League meeting. the limit for Bolt, whose 100 world record set in think this is good because emotions get in the way the NFL, probably won’t ever get a shot. cashing the checks Rex writes with his The Jamaican will run in the 100 meters on 2009 stands at 9.58. Bolt suggested he was capa- of jumping.” Ethiopian rivals Meseret Defar and There’s a neat little story about how mouth. More than a few coaches and GMs Thursday after a world championship sweep in the ble of running in the 9.70s at Weltklasse, where a Tirunesh Dibaba rarely race each other outside of the old man reacted when both sons were who were fired last season got pink slips 100, 200 and 4x100 relay in Moscow, where he warm, still evening is forecast.

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