ESSENDON chairman Paul Little has hit out at the AFL's medical director over his public comments about the club's supplements regime.
It follows a presentation Dr Peter Harcourt made at a conference in Zurich last November, where he pointed to Essendon players' 'passive' acceptance of the club's supplements regime.
Despite the club's own internal review pointing to a "picture of a pharmacologically experimental environment never adequately controlled or challenged or documented" Little is enraged by Harcourt's disclosures – labelling his comments "offensive".
"We are very concerned about comments made by the AFL's head medical executive Dr Harcourt, at a conference in November last year," Little said in a letter to members on Thursday.
"It is regrettable that Dr Harcourt chose to engage in irresponsible speculation about the health of our players at an international conference, without talking to the club and its players."
Little is calling on the AFL to take action.
"Dr Harcourt's presentation raises many important questions including whether or not he breached confidentiality? If he had the authority to make the presentation? And if not, what action will the AFL take?"
While the club's own inquiry conducted by Dr Ziggy Switkowski raised multiple alarm bells, Little insists Essendon players "took considerable steps" in relation to the regime including being provided with informed consent, approval from the club doctor and insisting all supplements were approved by WADA.
Little said the club was putting the welfare of players first.
"In 2012 and 2013, we conducted comprehensive medical evaluations of our players and we continue to provide ongoing monitoring," he said.
