James Hird says he had no overseeing role in supplements program
Club doctor had to approve all supplements
Only sports scientist Stephen Dank knew what went into player injections
Hird says he will be haunted by players being remembered as drug cheats
Speaking to the ABC in an exclusive interview at The Ethics Centre in Sydney, Hird said he had no overseeing role in the supplements program.
Earlier this week the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld an appeal by the World Anti-doping Authority against an AFL tribunal decision to clear the players of taking the banned substance thymosin-beta 4.
The players were suspended from the sport for 12 months.
"I wasn't part of that overseeing role. I was part of the Essendon Football Club in a senior role at the time," he said.
At certain times, I believe the protocols weren't adhered to and that didn't happen. That was very disappointing. It is the reason that 34 young men are now in a position they are in. That is devastating for all of us and most of all devastating for those 34 men and their families.
James Hird
"There was no experimental program that went on. It wasn't a pharmaceutical nature.
"There was no intention by anyone and Stephen Dank included in my belief, to cheat the system."
Hird coached Essendon from 2010 until he stood down from his position late in the 2015 season, with much of his reign dogged by speculation, investigations and court cases.
He said the program had to be approved by former fitness coach Dean Robinson, but that protocols were broken which ultimately led to the players' bans.
"I am not a scientist or a doctor, so I don't want to talk about or go into areas of science which I don't understand. It is not my specialty.
"The idea around the program was that it was a healthy program for the players to become better footballers and look after them later in life so they didn't become old [with] arthritis like a lot of us have. The key stakeholders
"The doctor had to approve everything. The reason the doctor had to approve everything was because he is the one that knows the most about medicine.
"At certain times, I believe the protocols weren't adhered to and that didn't happen. That was very disappointing.
"It is the reason that 34 young men are now in a position they are in.
"That is devastating for all of us and most of all devastating for those 34 men and their families."
Hird said the only person who knew what was in the injections given to players was sports scientist Stephen Dank, but he saw no reason why Dank would put illegal substances in the supplements.
"I don't feel my role was to give players performance enhancing drugs, I don't believe we were given it and at no time did I advocate anything to do with a banned drug," Hird said.
"I don't believe it. Yes, there is a possibility [that the players were given illegal supplements] — no-one knows, except Stephen Dank, what they put in those injection.
"
I don't see why he would do it? What would be the purpose for him to do it? It doesn't make any sense as to why he would do it." Hird describes days leading up to 'blackest day in Australian sport'
Hird described the days leading up to the "blackest day in Australian sport", when the scandal about to engulf the club was announced, saying it threw the Bombers into chaos.
"David Evans came into my office at the club. We just finished a practice game, the boys were in great form. It was an exciting time for us," Hird said.
"He came in and said 'The AFL believes we have been giving our players performance-enhancing drugs'.
"I was shocked. I just couldn't believe what he was talking about. My first question was 'Where is the evidence, what are you talking about?'
"He had no evidence, he had just been told [by the AFL].
"That night I was called to [Evans's] house. When I got there, the chairman David Evans, Ian Robson and Danny Corcoran and Bruce Reid arrived 10 minutes later.
"During that meeting, David was called out to a phone call and came back in and said 'Andrew Demetriou said it is definitely us'.
"He had been told about a report that was coming out and the Essendon Football Club is the club that they believe has taken the drugs under suspicion."
"From that moment we were thrown into chaos. We didn't know what they were referring to and we spent the next few days, and I remember getting to the club the next morning at 7:00am, looking for documentary evidence that what had been given to our players, that it was compliant with AFL, ASADA and WADA rules like we had asked in the protocols.
"I found the forms that the players had signed. I looked through those forms and those forms talked about how everything they were given was compliant.
"I took one of those forms up to Ian Robson but I didn't find the supporting evidence that was meant to be on the back of the forms about the compliance of the supplements." Players being seen as drug cheats will haunt me: Hird
Hird said the fact his players will be remembered as drug cheats will haunt him for a long time.
"Stephen Dank can say for certain what they were injected with. But if that is the case, if no-one can say for certain what they were injected with, how can 34 men be found guilty by CAS?" he said.
"I can understand people saying that the club can't say what they were injected with.
"But CAS cannot say what they were injected with. You are asking the players to prove their innocence.
What will haunt me is that the players are put in a position where they are seen as drug cheats. I don't want history to see those players as drug cheats. That is what will haunt me.
James Hird
"What will haunt me is that the players are put in a position where they are seen as drug cheats.
"I don't want history to see those players as drug cheats. That is what will haunt me."
While the saga has affected his family and personal life, Hird said his feelings remained with his players.
"My children have lived it, my oldest daughter is 16. She has seen it. My youngest son is six. It has been a huge part of his life," he said.
"As I said, that victim role for us, it has to be about the players.
"We can sit back with my friends and my family and talk about it in private, but I think that the real impact is on 34 players.
"They are sitting there going 'What have I done? I have done nothing wrong, why am I in this position?'"
PHOTO: Former Essendon coach James Hird speaks to the ABC at The Ethics Centre in Sydney. (Getty Images: Mark Metcalfe)
PHOTO: Former Essendon coach James Hird. (AAP: Joe Castro)
PHOTO: Sports scientist Stephen Dank (C). (AAP: Julian Smith)
PHOTO: Bombers skipper Jobe Watson speaks on behalf of Essendon past and present players after they were found not guilty of taking banned substances on March 31, 2015. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney)
PHOTO: Former Essendon coach James Hird speaks to the ABC at The Ethics Centre in Sydney. (Getty Images: Mark Metcalfe)
PHOTO: Former Essendon coach James Hird. (AAP: Joe Castro)
PHOTO: Bombers skipper Jobe Watson speaks on behalf of Essendon past and present players after they were found not guilty of taking banned substances on March 31, 2015. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney)
