The Court upheld the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal of the AFL’s anti-doping tribunal’s original not guilty verdict.
Peel’s Leroy Jetta, South Fremantle’s Cory Dell’Olio and East Perth captain Brendan Lee are among the players caught up in the scandal.
All three players have been important to their respective teams and were rewarded by being named in the state squad for WA that played South Australia last year.
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READ NOWTwo of those players are part of alignment clubs, with Jetta’s Thunder aligned with the Dockers and Brendon Lee’s Royals aligned with the West Coast Eagles.
Other WAFL clubs could be affected if Essendon pillage the league for top-up players to add to their list.
In total, 12 current Essendon players have received the one-year ban.
South Fremantle chief executive Stuart Kemp released a statement expressing his disappointment that Dell’Olio was not able to play.
Dell’Olio played 16 games with Essendon between 2012-14 before returning to South Fremantle last year.
“We are extremely disappointed with this outcome. We are devastated for Cory who has been through so much already. We are still awaiting final confirmation from the AFL,” Kemp said.
“This has been a long, drawn out process for him and we are unhappy that it has ended with such a significant suspension.”