Ahmed Saad starts suspension for banned substance

[stkildathunda]

Ahmed Saad will not be available for selection in last 2 games as he begins provisional suspension under AFL Doping Code.

Link to statement from club - http://www.saints.com.au/news/2013-08-2 ... orkstation

[Con Gorozidis]

Poor bugger
Hope he comes back after a year off and becomes a gun!

[ace]

A good move if the AFL introduces a finals series to determine the wooden spoon winner.
If he gets a one year suspension he would be available to play in any wooden spoon finals.

[Greg T]

What an absolute farce......
And it's not as if it helped him much

[saintspremiers]

He's tested positive so he's guilty.

I bet they don't want to sanction him yet whilst Essendon saga is ongoing.

Anyway at least we can delist him laterin the season of it's a full 2 year suspension.

[supersaints]

Good move, he's not going to get off, if he starts his ban now it means the sooner he finishes it, besides we get a chance to get a game into a new or a "couple of game" player.
Besides it was obvious the crowd booing was getting to him

[mullet]

I reckon he will only get 6 months. It was a substance that is allowed out of comp but not in. He can prove where it came from.

I am basing this on Discus thrower a couple of years ago who got done for the same thing ie a banned substance in something she took.

Just my opinion though

[8856brother]

If he gets any more than 6 months the whole system is a joke. Actually, regardless of what he gets, the whole system is prehistoric. There's a difference between doping regimes and stupidity. Penalties should reflect this fact.

[BringBackMadDog]

Isnt it hysterical that he starts his ban now, whilst Watson, who admitted taking a banned substance on national TV is allowed to play on and people cry out about the attacks on his character.
This whole system is an absolute joke

[mullet]

Isnt it hysterical that he starts his ban now, whilst Watson, who admitted taking a banned substance on national TV is allowed to play on and people cry out about the attacks on his character.
This whole system is an absolute joke

What Saad is doing is the norm BBMD. It is EFC that think they are a law unto themselves, and to an extent the AFL should be showing some balls as well.
Believe me, athletes world wide are laughing at what is going on here, and they have real doubts as to what goes on "down under". Apparantly lots of talk
at the World Athletics Champs.

[Hurricane]

Still seething that Ahmed is vilified and sitting out while Jobe Watson gets to play with a Brownlow hanging on his wall

What a total farce

BANG BANG

[Kickit]

I'm not making excuses for him, he was foolish.
But the penalty is way out of kilter between team sports and more individual types of athletes.
If a swimmer is banned for 2 years , they miss what? I'd suggest a half a dozen big events.
Meanwhile they aren't allowed to train with their team , big deal, they get a personal trainer and swim every day.
Ditto cyclists, runners, etc etc.
What's a team sports player supposed to do, hire 25 or so personal trainers capable of playin/coaching/umpiring at the top level?
If he cant even train for two years, it makes it pretty hard to come back, given that he's only a fringe player already.

So we are comparing missing a few big comps to completely destroying a career.

[perfectionist]

2 weeks

[Megamaguire]

What a circus !!!!!
Inadvertently drinking a soft-drink which has been released to the public to consume is NOT taking performance enhancing drugs.
Taking P-enhancing Ds. requires a CONSCIOUS decision to take them.

If there was no conscious decision proven he's innocent and 2 weeks is more of a suitable reprimand perhaps and even that is probably inappropriate.
Consciously Saad has done nothing wrong.
Others have pointed out how essendon players are continuing to play week in week out but a St.Kilda player who once 'inadvertently' 'consumed' some legally released soft drink (i believe) is made sweat and worry over his career.
WHAT A DEADSET CIRCUS !!!

Opinion of AFL.........Pick on an easy target (ie) St.Kilda because the Saints dont have the financial resources to fight back and be a thorn in the side of the AFL while at the same time buffoon about in regard to the (i'm hearing) questionable substances and means of administering these illegal substances (not through the ingredients of a soft drink but through........
'S Y R I N G E S' ! yes S Y R I N G E S used repeatedly on a sizable group of essendon players .

If Ahmed Saad gets more than zero weeks (like the afl i'm making this up as i go along) i'll be astounded.


HANG IN THERE AHMED Some people in this world are certifiably crazy - A.Saad is not luckily for us Saints fans. Stay positive and keep training and learning the game. Looking forward to the Zip and enthusiasm of Ahmed Saad 2013 multiplied by 3 for 2014.


G O AHMED!
G O S A I N T S !

[mullet]

I'm not making excuses for him, he was foolish.
But the penalty is way out of kilter between team sports and more individual types of athletes.
If a swimmer is banned for 2 years , they miss what? I'd suggest a half a dozen big events.
Meanwhile they aren't allowed to train with their team , big deal, they get a personal trainer and swim every day.
Ditto cyclists, runners, etc etc.
What's a team sports player supposed to do, hire 25 or so personal trainers capable of playin/coaching/umpiring at the top level?
If he cant even train for two years, it makes it pretty hard to come back, given that he's only a fringe player already.

So we are comparing missing a few big comps to completely destroying a career.

Sorry Kickit, but try telling Asafa Powell he is just missing a few comps. It is his career also. Plus loss of sponsorships etc. He isnt allowed to go near a track to even watch.

I think Saad will only get 6 months, because he can prove where the substance came from and he is co-operating, not like others we know.

I do agree that he will be used as an example, but it will just give the AFL amunition to hit the Essendon players hard.
Unfortunately Saad was stupid, but in order to make sport fair, ASADA must enforce a ban, otherwise , every athlete linked to performance enhancing or banned substances
would pull the "I didnt know" excuse. Imagine how you would feel if we lost to a team who were found to have banned substances in their systems, but said we didnt know, and
got away with it.

[plugger66]

I'm not making excuses for him, he was foolish.
But the penalty is way out of kilter between team sports and more individual types of athletes.
If a swimmer is banned for 2 years , they miss what? I'd suggest a half a dozen big events.
Meanwhile they aren't allowed to train with their team , big deal, they get a personal trainer and swim every day.
Ditto cyclists, runners, etc etc.
What's a team sports player supposed to do, hire 25 or so personal trainers capable of playin/coaching/umpiring at the top level?
If he cant even train for two years, it makes it pretty hard to come back, given that he's only a fringe player already.

So we are comparing missing a few big comps to completely destroying a career.

Sorry Kickit, but try telling Asafa Powell he is just missing a few comps. It is his career also. Plus loss of sponsorships etc. He isnt allowed to go near a track to even watch.

I think Saad will only get 6 months, because he can prove where the substance came from and he is co-operating, not like others we know.

I do agree that he will be used as an example, but it will just give the AFL amunition to hit the Essendon players hard.
Unfortunately Saad was stupid, but in order to make sport fair, ASADA must enforce a ban, otherwise , every athlete linked to performance enhancing or banned substances
would pull the "I didnt know" excuse. Imagine how you would feel if we lost to a team who were found to have banned substances in their systems, but said we didnt know, and
got away with it.

Can you tell us why he doesnt get 2 years?

[mullet]

I'm not making excuses for him, he was foolish.
But the penalty is way out of kilter between team sports and more individual types of athletes.
If a swimmer is banned for 2 years , they miss what? I'd suggest a half a dozen big events.
Meanwhile they aren't allowed to train with their team , big deal, they get a personal trainer and swim every day.
Ditto cyclists, runners, etc etc.
What's a team sports player supposed to do, hire 25 or so personal trainers capable of playin/coaching/umpiring at the top level?
If he cant even train for two years, it makes it pretty hard to come back, given that he's only a fringe player already.

So we are comparing missing a few big comps to completely destroying a career.

Sorry Kickit, but try telling Asafa Powell he is just missing a few comps. It is his career also. Plus loss of sponsorships etc. He isnt allowed to go near a track to even watch.

I think Saad will only get 6 months, because he can prove where the substance came from and he is co-operating, not like others we know.

I do agree that he will be used as an example, but it will just give the AFL amunition to hit the Essendon players hard.
Unfortunately Saad was stupid, but in order to make sport fair, ASADA must enforce a ban, otherwise , every athlete linked to performance enhancing or banned substances
would pull the "I didnt know" excuse. Imagine how you would feel if we lost to a team who were found to have banned substances in their systems, but said we didnt know, and
got away with it.

Can you tell us why he doesnt get 2 years?

see my earlier post. precedent of discus thrower a few years ago. but as my earlier post also says this is just my opinion. think I also say here that he is co - operating as well
which helps too. Also what he took is only banned during comp and not out of comp.
He might get 2 years but I doubt it, but just my opinion, cos this is a forum, which is made up of opinions

[plugger66]

Sorry Kickit, but try telling Asafa Powell he is just missing a few comps. It is his career also. Plus loss of sponsorships etc. He isnt allowed to go near a track to even watch.

I think Saad will only get 6 months, because he can prove where the substance came from and he is co-operating, not like others we know.

I do agree that he will be used as an example, but it will just give the AFL amunition to hit the Essendon players hard.
Unfortunately Saad was stupid, but in order to make sport fair, ASADA must enforce a ban, otherwise , every athlete linked to performance enhancing or banned substances
would pull the "I didnt know" excuse. Imagine how you would feel if we lost to a team who were found to have banned substances in their systems, but said we didnt know, and
got away with it.

Can you tell us why he doesnt get 2 years?

see my earlier post. precedent of discus thrower a few years ago. but as my earlier post also says this is just my opinion. think I also say here that he is co - operating as well
which helps too. Also what he took is only banned during comp and not out of comp.
He might get 2 years but I doubt it, but just my opinion, cos this is a forum, which is made up of opinions

And who cares who opinion is right or wrong. Im happy you gave an opinion. Some sit on the fence and just quote crap. I reckon one of us will be right and for Saad's sake i hope its you.

[Eastern]

After getting a bit of an understanding of the topic the other night I understand that the Club is VERY LIMITED in how much support it can give Ahmed once he is suspended. As I understand it, he is NOT permitted to attend the club or be employed by the club at any stage during his suspension unless it is to attend the club for Drug Counselling or to provide Drug Education to others.

With his "Voluntary Suspension" I don't know if this process is required or is happening just yet. I suspect it is. If it is, all the club could do is help with legal advice. I also thought that he is not allowed to be paid by the club during his suspension so I suspect the club got his pay up to date PRIOR to the announcement the other day.

It sounds like it is going to be Very Tough & Very Lonely for him for the duration of his suspension !!

[bobmurray]

Wow..that could be it for Saad, AFL career done and dusted, we may only ever get to see him playing in the VFL after he has served his penance.

[Eastern]

Wow..that could be it for Saad, AFL career done and dusted, we may only ever get to see him playing in the VFL after he has served his penance.

Hey Bob, that depends.

The club might have an inkling on what the length of the suspension might be (although I can't see how they would). If he get a 16-20 week "In Competition" suspension he would be eligible to return to the club some time around Rd 14-18 next year. In the meantime it is going to be very difficult for him to stay motivated and in shape.

Sadly, I think your scenario might be closer than mine and I'm dreaming !!

[gringo]

I think a kiwi cricket player got 6 months for an illegal stimulant accidentally taken the other day. They could provide a trainer off site for him and keep him motivated in that time. 2 years and it's his career gone you would think.

[bergholt]

I think a kiwi cricket player got 6 months for an illegal stimulant accidentally taken the other day. They could provide a trainer off site for him and keep him motivated in that time.

If it's only 6 months then he'd be back in training at the club by March, not ideal but still quite doable, gives him every chance of playing some games later next year.

Obviously he did it so a punishment is required. And given the season he's had this year I'm not certain we're going to miss him too much. That said, he seems like a really nice kid, very level-headed and positive, so it seems a shame that this has happened to him while cockheads like Buddy or Dustin Martin never quite get caught out.

[Zed]

Hypothetically if he gets rubbed out for a year, can he train with a different sports team eg soccer ?.. Or is he rubbed out from training with all professional sports.

If the ban applies to all sports, Could the clutoast him to relocate to the gold coast for 12 months to train with Trevor Hendy and hire Michael Voss as his personal football mentor to go through footage of every weeks games and give him some personalised footy training sessions twice a week ?

[Iceman234]

Over a beer tonight an EFC mate, after I paid out on them, brought this up.

I cut him down quickly when I said Saad was a fool for nto questioning what he took. But it was Saad alone.

No other way out and it shut him up.