Stripping Clubs Of Premierships

[Alex7089]

The AFL is threatening to strip clubs of premierships over the use of performance enhancing drugs. Is it just me or do other people think this could possibly be all about West Coast? If it isn't who is it going to be? Is there a club who has been successful of more recent times that we don't know about? Am I reading to much into this?

[Prospector_1]

Hey Alex - new avatar! We all love a good Woody!

[Master Q]

Hey Alex - new avatar! We all love a good Woody!

What's up with this toy story stuff?

[valkorum]

Hey Alex - new avatar! We all love a good Woody!

I was more a Buzz man

[CFC 1979]

WCE do have a chemist as a coach

script anyone 

[ossie85]

Wow, this thread went off topic!

This was about performance enhancing drugs, recreational was West Coast's problem in my understanding.

What will they do though? Take it away from the winning team and give the premiership to the runner-up? Well, that's not really fair to the team that was beaten by the cheats in the Prelim. Or any other team they beat in the finals or regular season. Basically, it ruins the entire season.

I think if a club is proven to have a negligent drug problem, the team should be suspended from the season for the next year. That would really hurt with finances.

[gerco]

Going with what happens NCAA sports (amateur college sports in USA) if improper behaviour is discovered (point shaving, under the table payments to amateur stars, faking academic tests to enable stars to play), the team 'vacates' the title/s they have won, plus any prize money.

Using a combination of this 'vacating' technique and the AFL's system of draft pick removal (NCAA schools who engage in improper behaviour have their ability to recruit high schoolers reduced ie; less scholarships available), using the 2007 Geelong Cats as an example I think this would happen:

1-They would vacate the 2007 premiership; I don't think Port Adelaide would be awarded it but 2007 would have an asterisk explaining why

2-They would be stripped of the McCelland Trophy (awarded to the team that finishes on top of the home & away season ladder).

This I think would awarded to Port Adelaide, as Geelong would be stripped of their premiership points that year, leaving Port on top (I've used the NRL's penalty on the Bulldogs for salary cap breaches for precedent in this case).

3-The prize money Geelong won in that year would be taken back by the AFL.

4-Loss of draft picks; probably as harsh as Carlton's for salary cap breaches.

However, this all would depend on a few things:

Justin Charles from Richmond was found guilty of steroid use in 1998, Richmond wasn't penalised. For a club to be stripped of premierships, prize money and draft picks, you'd have to prove that the club in question facilitated and encouraged players to use prohibited substances. That would be very unlikely.

[ossie85]

Great post, and I agree with everything you said.

Personally, I'd be immensely annoyed if Port Adelaide was given the flag for that year when Collingwood was clearly the closest to the Cats in that finals series 

[Pav29]

AFL are going overboard.

[ossie85]

AFL are going overboard.

Why? You cheat, you shouldn't keep any prizes you won whilst cheating.