The past week has been very challenging for everyone in Australian sport and this includes the AFL and all of the clubs. We too have been shocked by the findings of the ACC.
Our club has been drawn into the public discussion because one of our past employees is being mentioned and this is prompting questions about how we have conducted ourselves in recent years.
Let me assure you that we have nothing to hide. Our processes are robust and we are confident that they stand up to any examination.
However, we know that this will not be enough for some people who will doubt the legitimacy of the game and are disillusioned. And so, we believe it is important that the story of a club that did everything "by the book" and achieved great success through hard work, professionalism, team work, unity and commitment should be celebrated. We owe that to everyone who has contributed.
That is why we welcome the widening of the investigation by the AFL and ASADA. This will take some time, as it should and it needs to be thorough to ensure that the integrity of our club is confirmed. We even view this process as a way to further test our procedures and find ways to strengthen them even further.
There has been particular debate around the influence of sports science and many good people in the industry are seeing their reputations questioned. We want to make clear that we are proud of our people who work in this area of our club. They make an important and very professional contribution as part of our team.
We cannot comment on how other clubs operate but we can assure you that it is our doctors who directly determine all treatments and the use of all supplements by our players. We believe our protocols are best practice and that is why we are confident in our position.
We know these are difficult times for supporters. But we are confident that when the dust settles on this investigation we will be seen as we have been in recent years - a successful club that goes about its business in the right way.
We are looking forward to Season 2013 with great enthusiasm!
Colin Carter (President)
Brian Cook (Chief Executive)
