In his stunningly candid address in Zurich last November, Dr Peter Harcourt also flagged the ''need'' to look at the top of the tree at Essendon.

After stating, seven months before the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority issued show-cause notices to former and current Essendon , that it was ''probable'' banned substances were taken at the club in 2011-12, Harcourt broached wider implications.

''I think team violations are quite complex and there are other drivers that you have to think about,'' he said.

''It's not just about overlaying an individual athlete violation into a team. Corporate governance law is very complex, and that's what you start to have to, need to, look at - who's accountable.

''Is there even an accountability default to the CEO, or the board of management, for something that they should have had a risk management process, and some sort of reporting process, to identify?

''Any anti-doping rule violation in a team sport probably warrants some sort of investigation to see if there are other links or issues going on within the context of the team.''

David Evans, who resigned as Essendon chairman last July citing ill-health, is the only board member who has stepped aside since the club became the subject of the investigation 17 months ago.

Evans' resignation followed the departure of former club football operations boss Paul Hamilton in September 2012, and club CEO Ian Robson in May 2013. Robson is now CEO of soccer club Melbourne Victory.

Paul Little, a Bombers' director since 2011, was installed as club chairman and Essendon icon Simon Madden filled the board vacancy left by Evans.

Other directors are: Kevin Egan (since 1995), Daryl Jackson (2004), Greg Brown (2006), Jo-Anne Albert and Phil Pryor (both since 2008), and Paul Brasher and Chris Heffernan (both since 2011).