AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan says he's in the dark about ASADA's discussions with Essendon.
McLachlan admits he's frustrated by the process of the anti-doping investigation into the club's 2012 supplements program.
He said he wasn't privy to their discussions and didn't know what ASADA's evidence was or of any offer to reduce penalties.
However the new boss insisted no deal was ever negotiated by the AFL to ensure Essendon players would avoid punishment.
It has been revealed over 50 emails between the AFL and ASADA were sent between February and March last year as the saga began unfolding publicly.
McLachlan said those emails didn't contain any special deal for the players to avoid sanction.
"We worked through with ASADA, a framework that was put to the players about how the investigation was going to run, how the interviews were going to run and what sanctions were available under the code," he told Fairfax Radio.
"That's what that referred to.
"The agreement that was read to the players about how the process was going to run and how the code worked and what was available."
McLachlan said he was frustrated by the AFL's lack of "visibility" and felt that the current system was broken.
He said he had spoken to ASADA boss Ben McDevitt but so far was getting little direct information.
"There are discussions going which we're not party to at the moment between ASADA and the players and their representatives," he said.
"We haven't seen the evidence and that's what everyone's waiting on.
"This is the challenge ... with respect to the discussions with the players, the evidence against them on the basis of the show-cause notices I have no visibility."
McLachlan said he felt for the players and hoped it could be resolved as soon as possible.
"I feel dreadfully for the players here, and I think this is incredibly challenging," he said on Friday.
"We have to get through it, and when we do, the system will be reviewed."
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