The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority has revealed it will provide a "comprehensive summary" of evidence against the 34 Essendon players issued with show-cause notices, and has suggested it is open to a deal with players prepared to come forward.

The anti-doping body explained to Fairfax Media on Wednesday night how the next stage of the process against the Essendon players would unfold, now that the Bombers and coach James Hird have lost their Federal Court case attempting to prove the investigation into the club's 2012 supplements program was unlawful.

An ASADA spokesperson said the show-cause process was on hold while the Bombers and Hird debated whether to appeal the Federal Court decision. The two parties had 21 days from last Friday – when Justice John Middleton made his ruling – to make a call. The Bombers board met on Wednesday, with the appeal understood to be a key point of discussion.

"The show-cause notice process for the 34 former and current Essendon Football Club players will remain on hold while the Federal Court appeal period is in place," the ASADA spokesperson said.

"What we do next will be determined once the appeal period expires or an appeal is lodged."