IT IS not a matter of if, "it is only a matter of when" Essendon players will receive infraction notices, according to World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey.

In a stunning statement to the Australian Financial Review, Fahey said he expected the Australian Sports Anti-Drug Authority to clamp down further on the Bombers.

"I expect there will be several charges by ASADA. It’s only a matter of when," Fahey told AFR.

He also took a swing at the Victorian government, calling on WorkSafe Victoria to investigate Essendon more stringently, and called the AFL a "sacred cow".

Essendon has already been investigated by the AFL and ASADA for its use of supplements in 2011-12, but the investigation remains open for possible further sanctions.

The club was fined, coach James Hird stood down for 12 months, football manager Danny Corcoran suspended and then assistant coach Mark Thompson also fined.

Fahey was dumbfounded that WorkSafe Victoria had not taken a stronger line in the scandal.

“Where is WorkSafe Victoria in all of this?," he asked.

"How can James Hird be at the helm of the club as the head coach when 4000-plus injections have been given to playing staff, none of which anybody can tell us what it was, most of which we know is not approved for human consumption, and put at risk these kids, and not have WorkSafe Victoria banging on their door that this is an unsafe workplace? 

"Nothing’s been done there – that’s the sacred cow AFL is. It’s disgraceful that WorkSafe haven’t been in there tipping it on its head.”


Fahey has been in his current role for six years after stints in state and federal politics, and said he was disappointed, but not surprised, by the current treatment of the scandal.

"No sports minister or sports official I’ve met anywhere in the world wants to have their athletes in the headlines for the wrong reasons," he said.

"The first thing they say to you is ‘how can we fix this?’ They’ll give you all the support you want and tell you why it’s so important to fight drugs in sport as long as it’s not their sport. 

"When their sport gets caught with it, they want to make it go away. If they can cover it up, they will."

An AFL spokesman said the league was unaware of any pending charges.

"We have not had any information that infraction notices may be issued," he said.

"But ASADA's investigation remains open."