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An article attributed to Michael Warner in today’s Herald Sun, entitled “END OF THE LINE FOR TROUBLED DEE” contains the following paragraph:-

“In a statement handed to federal MP Andrew Wilkie earlier this year – assessed by SIA – former Demons doctor Zeeshan Arain estimated two thirds of the club’s squad were either “frequent” drug users or “occasionally” used illicit drugs.”

There is no further explanation of the claim made by Dr Arain and the article does not refer to the fact that the doctor was sacked by the club and was subsequently involved in an acrimonious legal wrangle with the club. Warner should know because he wrote about the situation in an article appearing in Code Sports on February 16, 2022 “Melbourne crisis: Former club doctor issues legal letter to Demons”. In that article, Warner mentioned an email in which Melbourne CEO Gary Pert questioned Arian’s credibility. I am quoting directly from Warner’s article:-

"Pert wrote: When dealing with Zee on issues, he consistently changed his stories when I challenged him on details and his stories rarely matched up to other people involved ...

He also described Dr Arain's evidence as "full of inaccuracies, misrepresentations and a rewriting of history, which was a frustration to all he was accusing".

Today’s Warner article refers to the club’s off-field scandals and cultural issues but fails to mention that when the issue was raised in Parliament by independent MP Andrew Wilkie (using parliamentary privilege), Wilkie said Arain alleged it wasn't a Melbourne problem but an "AFL problem" with a number of players arriving at the club with pre-existing cocaine dependencies. 

However, the most glaring omission from Warner’s article today (and the reason why I feel it necessary to raise this point here now) is his failure to provide the full story which is the Melbourne Football Club’s version which appeared in his own newspaper written by his colleague Jay Clark who, followed the process of allowing the other side to be heard. This is an excerpt from “Melbourne deny ex-club doctor Zeeshan Arain's extraordinary claims of player illicit drug use”  - March 31, 2024

“The Demons told the Herald Sun on Saturday Dr Arain did not report a single concern to the club's audit and risk sub-committee on any issues regarding player illicit drug use during his tenure.

"Dr Arain was the head doctor of the Melbourne Football Club between 2014 and the start of 2020," the statement said.

"During this time, he was required to report annually to the club's audit and risk subcommittee on any issues or concerns regarding the entire medical program.

"At no time throughout his tenure did Dr Arain ever raise any concerns about players' illicit drug use to this sub-committee.

"Like all clubs within the competition the Melbourne Football Club continue to invest heavily in education and support systems, including the IDP (illicit drugs policy) to help reduce the prevalence of illicit substance abuse within the club and the game."

JOEL Smith's AFL career is effectively over after the Melbourne player was suspended for four years and three months for anti-doping rule violations relating to cocaine use and trafficking.

The AFL announced the ban on Friday afternoon after a lengthy Sport Integrity Australia investigation that ran for more than a year. 

Smith's suspension relates to five rule violations: 

• A positive match-day test for cocaine after Melbourne v Hawthorn on August 20, 2023
• Trafficking or attempted trafficking of cocaine on and/or between April 12, 2020 and September 7, 2020
• Trafficking or attempted trafficking of cocaine on and/or between July 28 and July 30, 2022
• Trafficking or attempted trafficking of cocaine on and/or between September 5 and September 10, 2022
• Possession of cocaine on September 9, 2022

Smith, the son of former Melbourne and North Melbourne forward Shaun, has been provisionally suspended since October 9, 2023 after he returned a positive in-competition test for cocaine following the Demons' round 23 win over Hawthorn on August 20 in the same year.

Taking into account his provisional suspension, Smith cannot play in any World Anti-Doping Authority-compliant competition until January 9, 2028. He can return to training in November 2027. 

It means that Smith, who played 42 games across six seasons at Melbourne, cannot play football at any level until early 2028, when he would be almost 32. 

He kicked a career-high three goals in his most recent game for Melbourne, the losing semi-final against Carlton in September 2023.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon welcomed the ban handed to Smith. 

"The outcome in this matter, in which Joel Smith has been suspended for more than four years, reflects the seriousness with which the AFL treats breaches of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code and is a salutary lesson for any player using illicit substances that are prohibited under the WADA Code," Mr Dillon said.  

 "The use of performance enhancing substances is strictly prohibited in Australian Football and the AFL will continue to work with Sport Integrity Australia to identify and prosecute the use of such substances In-Competition and other conduct prohibited by the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code."

 "The AFL does not in any way condone the use of illicit drugs. If a player chooses to use illicit drugs, the potential consequences are substantial, including risks to health and safety and of losing the privilege of playing professional football, as has occurred here."

Smith is currently out of contract at the Demons, having concluded his most recent two-year deal this season. 

Many years ago, I watched a Melbourne game in the Southern Stand with my two sons. We were sitting directly behind Shaun Smith who was something of a family hero after his mark of the century against the Bears over teammate Garry at the Gabba. My sister who was into ceramics at the time had made a plate with the iconic picture of that mark which I had sitting on a shelf somewhere.

We chatted with the family including his young son (presumably Joel) during the game and years later thought Shaun would have been proud when that young bloke showed he inherited his father’s athleticism by playing two sports at the elite level in this country. 

Unfortunately, Joel’s career did not have a happy ending and sadly, this was mainly due to failings on his part and nobody else. More sadly, the issue of substance taking highlighted in this case is a major problem in our society that has been around for a long time and continues to defy solutions.

Yesterday’s announcement marks the end of a difficult time for the Demon family and for Shaun and Joel and their families. It won’t be easy but I trust that they can move on with their lives and remember Joel’s happier times at the club.