AFL Hands Essendon Finals Ban, A$2 Million Fine Over Supplements
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Australian Football League club Essendon was banned from this year’s finals series and given an unprecedented A$2 million ($1.8 million) fine over the supplements scandal that has overshadowed the 2013 season.
The AFL Commission also suspended Essendon coach James Hird for 12 months, banned or fined two other key officials and stripped the club of draft picks for the next two years for bringing the game into disrepute by implementing a supplements program in 2011 and 2012 that risked players being given banned substances. Essendon said it accepted the penalties.