Essendon Football Club was today found guilty of breaching the provisions of the Total Player Payment rules and fined $85,000 as a result. The AFL commission heard the case this morning and imposed a fine after finding the Club's breach had been of a technical nature and not pre-meditated. It also found the club had acted responsibly by taking advice from a law firm. A full transcript of a statement from AFL Chairman, Ron Evans, is attached.

""Today, the AFL Commission met to consider a charge against the Essendon Football Club for breaches of the Total Player Payment provisions of the AFL's Rules.

""The Commission has considered the case prepared by Ken Wood, the AFL's Investigations Officer, and we have also heard the position of the Essendon Football Club on this matter.

""The Commission recognises that:

""The breach of the Total Player Payments was technical and not a premeditated attempt to avoid any of the AFL Player Rules

""The Club acted responsibly by taking advice from a reputable law firm, and subsequently gained a second legal opinion from an internal legal source

""The advice relied upon by Essendon was incomplete and contrary to what the club now accepts as the proper interpretation of the AFL Player Rules

""The Club totally co-operated with the AFL Investigations Manager in investigating the events which have occurred.

""Further to these issues, the Essendon Football Club voluntarily terminated the contracts involved in this matter prior to today's deliberation by the Commission.

""The Commission has considered the matters in accordance with AFL Rule 17 and determined that the Essendon Football Club had breached the Total Player Payments provisions.

""In respect to the nature and severity of the breach, it was resolved that a sanction of $85,000 be applied.""