Sports & Fitness AFL illicit drugs v performance enhancing?

Recently 11 Collingwood player's have been outed for testing positive to illicit drugs in the offseason.
Last year x Essendon players were given a 12mth suspension for taking banned performance enhancing substances.

I am hoping some knowledgeable folk may help me to make sense of this:

Performance enhancing substances - were the ones in question with Essendon illegal? Or were they just on the banned list but legal to purchase in Australia?

Illicit drugs are illegal - a criminal offence? No action taken.

Is anyone else puzzled by this?

 

Ooops - how do I move this to the Sport section?

 

The banned substances Dank gave Essendon players were illegal, ie illicit.
The difference between the Collingwood and Essendon cases is that:
1. AFL/ASADA joint investigation uncovered evidence of a systematic injection program at Essendon. Players were initially found not guilty at AFL tribunal, but WADA appealed at international level and found players guilty, resulting in suspensions.
2. In the Collingwood case, the results were from offseason hair tests. Nb the positive results are disputed by the club. The specific substances in question could be either recreational drugs or performance enhancing. These details have not been leaked to the media yet. Under the testing regime, there is a 3 strikes rule, so players would need multiple positive results before being suspended.