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SUSSAN Ley has accepted the hottest issue in Australian sport in taking over the federal sport portfolio — the long-standing Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority probe into AFL club Essendon.

The saga began almost two years ago when former Labor ministers, Kate Lundy and Jason Clare, declared organised crime was behind the use of performance enhancing drugs involving multiple athletes and possible match fixing.

“The Blackest Day In Australian Sport” press conference was attended by the nation’s most senior sporting officials.

It has since been described as a stunt to take some heat off Labor’s self-implosion being carried out by Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.

Peter Dutton became the sports minister last year after the federal election.

Mr Dutton called retired judge Gary Downes to review the brief.

ASADA has issued infraction notices to 34 current and former Essendon players with an AFL anti-doping tribunal underway and due to resume on January 12.

Ms Ley revealed two years ago she switched her AFL allegiances from Sydney to Greater Western Sydney.