The Governor · @TheGovernorSM
27th Oct 2014 from TwitLonger
A critique from Former Test Opener Bruce Francis.
Bruce Francis wrote an interesting response to Roy Master's article @Robbo_heraldsun @heraldsunmick @TraceyLeeHolmes @Melbchief .
Roy Masters has made a late run in tonight’s (27 October 2014) digital edition of @theagesport to beat M/s Wilson for the Alice in Wonderland award. In fairness to Roy, when you only rely on leaks for your articles, you are bound to stuff it up occasionally.
Roy is implying 34 players were injected 50 times with Thymosin Beta-4. His calculation was based on one injection every week day for ten weeks. Roy is implying that 1700 Thymosin Beta injections were administered to the @EssendonFC players. Me thinks Roy packed his head into one too many scrums when he was coaching, or perhaps he participated in the punch up with his players just before taking the field.
Let’s look at the evidence that suggests Roy may be wrong:
1. Alavi told @Melbchief he supplied Dank 26 (clear) vials of either Thymomodulin, Thymosin Beta-4 or an unknown substance. Alavi said he had no idea what substance it was. I am still waiting on the Therapeutic Goods Authority to tell me what the penalty is for supplying unknown substances in unmarked vials. I’d have thought it was a serious police matter but what would I know.
2. According to the only invoice with Thymosin on it that was issued by Alavi, which was subsequently cancelled, each 5 ml vial cost $137. As ASADA quoted Google in the Interim Report as an impeccable source, I feel comfortable in quoting Google that the recommended dose for Thymosin Beta-4 is 5ml. Based on these figures, the cost of 1700 injections of Thymosin Beta-4 would have been $232,900. As Alavi didn’t issue a second invoice Roy is asking us to believe it was a freebee. A donation of that size would almost qualify Alavi for a jumper sponsorship! I don’t want to rain on Roy’s parade but I’d have thought the players may have had one day a week off, which would make a mess of his 5 injections a week.
3. According to the player interviews, not the fabricated ASADA table of admitted substance use, five players admitted to having been administered Thymosin. A sixth, admitted to having been administered Thymomodulin. He described the conversation with Dank in detail and was even able to describe the vial which had Thymomodulin written on it. Seven players said they may have been administered Thymosin. I know most of you have implied that the players were dummies who were pushed around by their heroes, but I’d have thought even a rugby league front rower would know the name of the substance if he were injected five times a week for 10 weeks.
4. I note Roy refers to “sports science sources” about the protocol for Thymomodulin and Thymosin Beta-4. Feedback I have received from various doctors suggest there is no agreed protocol for either.
5. My understanding is Thymomodulin was used because it builds the immune system, which fights the colds and coughs that can destroy a club.
Bruce Francis