Illegal drug culture - Football

[H_T 2,941]

Concerned Collingwood CEO Gary Pert has put it on the table at the recent meeting of CEO's prior to the National Draft. And now Nathan Buckley has come out in support of his CEO's move to put it on the agenda.

Clearly there is a growing concern on illicit drugs despite the AFL's current 3-strike policy.

Like society in general, I suggest there's more continued use going on among AFL ranks even though the numbers that clubs are privvy to are gradually going down.

But why is it being put on the agenda again. New figures?

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/collingwood-coach-nathan-buckley-backs-ceo-gary-perts-call-for-afl-to-act-on-drug-culture/story-fnelctok-1226525725506

[beelzebub 22,761]

They probably came across a memo in a bin from the "Vault' handed them by an anonymous source !!

We were doping them as well and telling them ( to be sure , to be sure !! )

H_T....youre probably right when noting 'agendas'

[Sir Why You Little 35,356]

The 3 strike policy is just so wrong.

Why should the AFL put itself above societies laws.

I have taken my share of drugs over many years. I have never been caught or charged, but i always knew it was possible.

3 strikes is just hiding more damming information that Vlad & Anderson do not want to acknowledge.

[ThreeOneSix 953]

It's a big issue, goes hand in hand with the sleeping pill epedemic in the AFL.

[H_T 2,941]

It's a big issue, goes hand in hand with the sleeping pill epedemic in the AFL.

Are sleeping pills used as masking agents?

Excuse the lack of knowledge on my behalf. But when you say intimating "hand in hand" I automatically jumped to that conclusion.

[Weedster 174]

The 3 strike policy is just so wrong.

Why should the AFL put itself above societies laws.

I have taken my share of drugs over many years. I have never been caught or charged, but i always knew it was possible.

3 strikes is just hiding more damming information that Vlad & Anderson do not want to acknowledge.

There is no "3 strikes" - players recording 2 strikes are no longer tested, rather are diverted to counselling programs. The "policy" is specifically designed not to "catch" anyone. The only reason young Tuck got 3 strikers is that he was found by the police.

The program in its current form needs a rethink - clearly Gary Pert is onto something of concern.

[Chook in Perth 2,012]

The policy is a joke. I don't know how journos keep a straight face when Anderson rolls out his faux data each year and sums it up by telling us the policy is working.

[george_on_the_outer 7,111]

There is no "3 strikes" - players recording 2 strikes are no longer tested, rather are diverted to counselling programs. The "policy" is specifically designed not to "catch" anyone. The only reason young Tuck got 3 strikers is that he was found by the police.

The program in its current form needs a rethink - clearly Gary Pert is onto something of concern.

Spot on Weedster. The club doesn't even find out about it until strike 3. And then it's too late.

All the effort they put into diet, training, conditioning, re-hab, physio etc and they don't get to know that some clown is on the juice. If they were able to find out at strike 1 then the club can do something about it.

And the testing regime is hardly rigorous when you divide the number of players by the tests completed in a season. Lucky if you get to "fill the bottle" once or twice in a season. Small wonder Cousins never returned a postive......

[ignition. 1,426]

Well it's kind of obvious this has been going on for quite some time.

Speaking to a friend on the inside he said the amount of cocaine residue in the toilets at the Brownlow would astonish most people, although I guess it's no different to a fancy bar on Chapel St.

Although put it this way, you have young men with more dollars than sense that wants to get some for of high like that of a few too many beers, a player can take a certain elicit drug and be on water all night, he wont get the bloating or the same detrimental effects of hangover like that of beer. Obviously that [censored] is no good for you, but from a recovery perspective its far superior in order to get back to the training track. Why do you think so many players go to Vegas on end of season trips... as Dane Swan would say "shows". Unfortunately its sad reality to football and I hope clubs implement often drug testing and programs to eradicate the problem.

[prymke19 42]

id say these boys are guilty, just speculating but seems pretty obvious to me..

http://m.smh.com.au/victoria/deelight-for-gangster-20121117-29j4r.html

[Outside fifty 967]

Interestingly I work with a couple of young lads who are very much into the club scene. Some of the names they have told me that they have seen coming out of cubicles in a highly excited state and a hay fever like sniffle is surprising to say the least. This is definitely a problem for the AFL. Of course nothing will happen until Adrian and Andrew remove their own heads from their own posterior's . They can't see anything wrong but they know something smells fishy.

[The Lobster Effect 845]

But why is it being put on the agenda again. New figures?

Maybe the afl is concerned with the rise in synthetic legal drugs that copycat the effects of illegal drugs, you can get these from 'happy herb' type shops or online.

[Sir Why You Little 35,356]

An AFL footballer will OD before Vlad & Anderson blink an eye.

As long as the Brand is not tarnished.

I am amazed they have got away without disaster for this long.

Young boys with bundles of disposable $$$........Hello Vlad is anyone home.

[old dee 23,256]

Not sure the AFL can do a lot more about this problem.

It is part of society now and guess what AFL players are part of society.

I have two very close friends who have big problems with their 30"s year old sons.

I would have thought both families would not have this problem

But how wrong was I.

Besides education and testing I am not sure what else you can do.

[old dee 23,256]

An AFL footballer will OD before Vlad & Anderson blink an eye.

As long as the Brand is not tarnished.

I am amazed they have got away without disaster for this long.

Young boys with bundles of disposable $$$........Hello Vlad is anyone home.

wyl for a few seconds I thought you were telling me I was an AFL footballer with a drug problem

Would not mind being

a) young enough

B) have enough talent

Edited November 28, 2012 by old dee

[PeterJames 46]

Not sure the AFL can do a lot more about this problem.

It is part of society now and guess what AFL players are part of society.

I have two very close friends who have big problems with their 30"s year old sons.

I would have thought both families would not have this problem

But how wrong was I.

Besides education and testing I am not sure what else you can do.

I have a brother that was an addict and one that was on an AFL list for 4 years. While there are illicit drugs being used by AFL players they are doing an amazing job for an organisation that has men aged 18-35. If my other brother had the support shown t AFL players I have no doubt there wouldn't have been such an issue.

People don't understand the AFL policy which is where the issue lies. AFL does more testing than other sports, it does out of competition testing which other codes like cricket are not doing. Cricket recently has had more issues than the AFL, especially with the Warriors players.

[demoniac 1,246]

The AFL already goes FURTHER than WADA in relation to so called 'recreational' drugs such as cocaine and ecstacy. Under WADA guidelines testing for recreational drugs only occurs in competition. In an AFL context this translates to WADA mandating matchday testing only. THE AFL and the AFLPA have agreed to testing outside of matchday for recreational drugs.

Obviously use of so called recreational drugs is a societal problem rather than a an AFL specific one. It is interesting to hear people's arguments for testing AFL players as against other occupations. Certainly there is a clear case for drug (and alcohol) testing for those occupations that involve operating machinery or transport infrastructure like planes, trains and automobiles or healthcare professionals involved in surgery. I am sure others can provide more examples.

It is enough of a justification to say that because AFL players are generally highly payed young men with celebrity status we need to protect them from recreational? Should we subject all labormark participants from say 18 to 30 years to a random drug testing regime because they are in the age range known to epxperiment with drugs?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Not sure the AFL can do a lot more about this problem.

It is part of society now and guess what AFL players are part of society.

Besides education and testing I am not sure what else you can do.

Fair comment. I just hope the AFL are trying to do something useful on this subject rather than another PR campaign.

I have taken my share of drugs over many years.

LOL. The after effects certainly linger.

[Striker475 696]

The rumours around, particularly concerning a certain high-profile player from a team that no Melbourne supporter would like, are concerning. What the AFL should do though is difficult though, particularly when so many aspects of these guys' lives are already so regimented by the professionalism of sport.

I like the diversions to drug programs for players, but there needs to be more. It's going to blow up sooner or later. It'll either be Dustin Martin (where the reports are equally as concerning as the player I mentioned above) or another high-profile player which changes things.

[H_T 2,941]

Fair comment. I just hope the AFL are trying to do something useful on this subject rather than another PR campaign.

Maybe they could open another ongoing investigation. Send Clothier and Haddad to Vegas next October. Interview everyone and anyone....

[Left Field 313]

Posted elsewhere. My friend (who I'd say is an insider at Richmond) seriously doubts whether Martin will still be in the system after his contract expires.

On another note, it seems that Diazapan mixed with Coca Cola or the like is seriously addictive. Hillbilly heroin (OxyContin) is killing three young people every day now in the USA and its not (ostensibly) illegal.

Not yet epidemic, but on that pathway.

[Guest José Mourinho]

It's nothing new.

I've been in the company of players that have indulged.

I've been in the company of players who have moved away to another area when their friends indulge because they understand the potential ramifications of being around it.

And I've heard first-hand accounts of the rockstar lifestyle a certain brownlow medallist has enjoyed at times. Some great stories.

I hardly think it's a massive problem.

It's just big kids with massive disposable incomes and too much time on their hands.

[H_T 2,941]

It's nothing new.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's the first time a "CEO" from an AFL club has put this on the agenda, is it not? If it isn't, it has been a long, long time. I can't recall.

[BIG JIM 508]

I lost 10 years to drugs and wish i could tell lot's of young men what i went through.

Thank god for my wife and kids.

Drugs are evil.

[Demonsterative 2,384]

It's nothing new.

I've been in the company of players that have indulged.

I've been in the company of players who have moved away to another area when their friends indulge because they understand the potential ramifications of being around it.

And I've heard first-hand accounts of the rockstar lifestyle a certain brownlow medallist has enjoyed at times. Some great stories.

I hardly think it's a massive problem.

It's just big kids with massive disposable incomes and too much time on their hands.

Big kids with massive incomes are at more risk as they can pay for their addictions. It is a massive issue. One life ruined is massive.