ASADA has admitted its decision to slap 34 former and current Essendon players with show-cause notices was based “substantially” on information provided by the AFL.

On Monday, The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority outlined its intended defence in the Federal Court fight against the Bombers and suspended coach James Hird.

Essendon and Hird say ASADA acted unlawfully by jointly investigating the club with the AFL last year.

A three-day trial before Justice John Middleton begins on August 11.

ASADA conceded the 34 show-cause notices issued last month relied largely on evidence gathered under the joint AFL-ASADA arrangement.

“The Respondent admits that the Respondent’s decision to issue the Notices was based substantially upon information provided by the AFL to ASADA in the course of the joint investigation,” the defence document asserts.

In the defence documents, ASADA also asserts that a win for Essendon in the Federal Court case will not necessarily see it withdraw the show-cause notices.

“The Respondent (ASADA) denies that, in the event of any illegality as alleged is found to have occurred, the Notices are thereby rendered ultra vires, invalid or improperly issued,” the defence says.

“The Respondent nevertheless accepts and admits that if the court finds that the Applicant (Essendon) is otherwise entitled to relief, such relief should not be refused on the basis that the Notices can be (or are) sufficiently supported by other evidence or information obtained by ASADA.”