NRL stars have been warned phone conversations may have been secretly recorded for evidence as part of the Australian Crime Commission's investigation into drugs and corruption that has rocked Australian sport.
Justice Minister Jason Clare yesterday revealed that the NRL and AFL had been given the names of individuals and clubs caught up in the ACC's year-long operation - but as yet neither code had the power to contact clubs to make them aware of their involvement. It is understood six NRL clubs have been named in the ACC's investigation.
The ACC said approval should come within the next 24 hours. From there it will be up to individual clubs to come clean.
The AFL yesterday announced multiple players from Essendon and one player from another club were being investigated for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The ACC said approval should come within the next 24 hours. From there it will be up to individual clubs to come clean.
The AFL yesterday announced multiple players from Essendon and one player from another club were being investigated for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan fronted a press conference in Melbourne yesterday, while the NRL refused to answer questions beyond a carefully worded statement attributed to new CEO Dave Smith.
Wayne Bennett and Phil Gould are among those to have criticised the decision to release such allegations without identifying individuals, rightly saying it has placed unfair suspicion on athletes across all clubs and sports.
Clare refused to apologise yesterday, telling the ABC: "I can understand why sports fans are frustrated. But we've got to make this point, there is a problem here.
"People have been whispering in the shadows for years now. We've got to face up to this and fix it.
"This is the sort of thing that should have been done with the Tour de France 15 years ago."
Clare said evidence was already with NSW and Victorian police and phone taps were among many methods used to gather intelligence.
"We are not just talking about evidence that has been collected through coerced hearings, we are talking about documentary evidence that the Crime Commission has got as well as the use of phone taps that corroborate all of the information they have got," Clare said.
"The Australian Crime Commission has the powers of a standing Royal Commission. They are the most powerful law enforcement body in the country and they can tap phones, they can force people to give information, collect documents, conduct searches and so forth.
"This is not just about sport, this is about organised crime, and when organised crime infiltrates sport then you can have real problems."
Asked specifically if the ACC had tapped the phones of footballers, Clare said: "I have to be careful about how much information I give you other than to say that when you listen in to phone conversations you hear all sorts of things and the Crime Commission has found that the work it has been doing has been very, very effective.
"Organised crime is involved throughout the supply chain. They are involved in importing the drugs. Where the raw materials come into the country, they are involved in front companies that run the compound pharmacies to make these drugs.
"They are involved with the doctors who write the scripts for the individual players. They are also involved with companies that have contracts with major sporting codes as well. Ultimately, it is all about money. Criminals get involved in crime because you can make serious money and there is serious money to be made here in selling these products to professional sports people."
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