AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has responded to the leaked secret audio of an Essendon meeting about the supplements saga during 2013.
The meeting, which took place between Essendon chairman Paul Little, coach James Hird, senior assistant Mark Thompson and football manager Danny Corcoran, was leaked by the Herald Sun on Friday morning and details the Bombers' fury at the AFL over the handling of investigation.
Little and Hird can both be heard in the recording explaining that they believed McLachlan blatantly lied to them in regards to some of the details of the investigation.
But the League's chief told SEN Breakfast radio this morning he is comfortable with how the investigation was handled.
“In terms of being called someone who lies, the day I lie to someone is the day I can’t do my job,” McLachlan said.
“Our view at the time, was that the players wouldn’t be charged. That was our prevailing view, however, there was no certainty of that. It wasn’t a decision of us, it was ASADA. In the agreements with the club and the individuals, it was explicit that it didn’t mean the players wouldn’t be charged.
“I understand people feel (aggrieved). I can’t help how people feel.
“We sit here today and there was a situation where a program was run and in the end ... the club accepted the supplements program was run, there was an unacceptable risk administered to players and we still don’t know what they were given.
“In the end there has to be accountability for that.
"What happened, happened."
