Essendon is determined to vigorously defend the club and its officials, including coach James Hird, against AFL charges of bringing the game into disrepute.
The charges against the Bombers, Hird, his senior assistant Mark Thompson, football manager Danny Corcoran and club doctor Bruce Reid were announced by AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon last night.
All of those parties are scheduled to front an AFL Commission hearing on the 26th of August.
Chairman Paul Little has welcomed the news that no Bombers players have been charged with anti-doping violations, but says the charges against the club and its four officials will be vigorously defended.
He says until charges are proven, the accused will continue in their appointed roles at Essendon.
"Given the club's assessment of the chagres it is appropriate that the four individuals continue to perform their roles within our reformed government structure.
"To do otherwise before these matters are finalised would be to effectively impose a penalty in advance of a fair hearing and represent a denial of natural justice."
Meanwhile, Essendon captain Jobe Watson says he and his AFL teammates feel vindicated by the league's decision not to charge them with anti-doping violations.
"As we've said all along, none of us believed we'd done anything wrong in relation to the 2012 supplements program," Watson said.
"We've fully co-operated with every part of the ASADA investigation and we've always said we've got nothing to hide.
"We feel vindicated by this announcement and hope this helps confirm the faith of our supporters and the broader football public that, as professional sportsmen, we would never do anything to compromise the integrity of the game, our team, or our own values."
Watson, who won the Brownlow Medal last year, admitted in a television interview in June that he believed he took the drug AOD-9604 during 2012.
While the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has stated that drug is banned, Watson said in the interview that he did not believe he had done anything wrong.
Following that interview, he has been singled out by opposition supporters, who have booed him during games.
Andrew Dillon said there was not currently evidence to sustain a charge against players for using that drug or any other.
"On the information before the AFL there is no specific anti-doping rule violation attributed to any individual player for use of AOD-9604 or any other prohibited substance," Dillon said.
Watson said the six months since the ASADA investigation began had been extremely tough, but had tightened the bond between players and he also thanked Essendon fans for their support.
But with charges of bringing the game into disrepute laid against the club, and against coach James Hird, senior assistant Mark Thompson, football manager Danny Corcoran and doctor Bruce Reid, Watson noted the stress was not over.
"Our club and coaches have got our unqualified support and we'll continue to support each other throughout this process and beyond," he said.
