UPDATE: Essendon has released a statement confirming the news.
"Regrettably we can confirm the Court of Arbitration for Sport has found 34 past and present players guilty of committing an anti-doping rule violation," the statement read.
"As a result, the players - including 12 currently listed with Essendon - have been suspended for the 2016 season. The Club is currently digesting the decision and we will provide a further update later today."
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has found the 34 past and present Essendon players guilty of taking banned substance Thymosin Beta-4 during the 2012 AFL season.
Players have received a 12-month suspension, meaning they will miss the entire 2016 season, including finals.
There are 12 players still on Essendon's list and five players still active for other clubs.
The decision by the CAS overturns the AFL’s anti-doping tribunal verdict which was appealed by WADA.
The CAS was comfortably satisfied that there was enough evidence to suggest players took the banned substance in 2012.
The AFL is yet to rule whether Jobe Watson will keep his 2012 Brownlow Medal.
The 12 players still on Essendon's list who have been banned for 12 months are:
Jobe Watson, Dyson Heppell, Michael Hurley, Cale Hooker, Michael Hibberd, Brent Stanton, Travis Colyer, David Myers, Tom Bellchambers, Heath Hocking, Ben Howlett and Tayte Pears.
The five players at other clubs who have been banned for 12 months are:
Paddy Ryder and Angus Monfries (Port Adelaide), Stewart Crameri (Western Bulldogs), Jake Carlisle (St Kilda) and Jake Melksham (Melbourne).
Brad Crawford
Who are the other 17 players banned?
I hope this is a lesson well learnt for all and to clean up all drugs in any sport
This is discusting to punish the players.
Like they didn’t know what was going on, they get sooo many drugs and substances thrown their way they don’t know what’s what.
Players should be allowed to play. It’s not as if they are any good anyway
why? they knew what they were doing.