AFL Dont have a drug issue....

[older saint]

Once again the spin doctors are at it. Melbourne ex doctor, hung out to dry by Pert for questioning drug culture, discloses that they tested players mid week and kept results secret and stood down players if needed.

AFL response yes we knew but its ok as all about health.

The AFL drug policy is a joke, they say it is representative of society when there is a positive test, yet the positive test results do not reflect society as a percentage. Its all about image, cover ups and and liability, not health.
Rumours been around for years about players taking "time away from the club" under the area of mental health , which is a disgrace to those with mental health issues, when it is basically a drug issue and a side deal done.

AFL footballers are privileged, they get paid very well for what they do and the trade off for this is the sacrifices they need to make over the average 18-25 year old. No one makes them play and we are now seeing examples of "its not for me" with players stepping away. They are role models for kids, like it or not it comes with the job, and unfortunately as the AFL covers everything up as best it can the majority get labelled with the same brush as those doing the wrong thing.

And it is then downplayed , by society too, calling it recreational drugs - last time i checked cocaine, Speed, ecstasy, heroine and ice are illegal and will kill you as could be anything in it. By calling it recreational it downplays the seriousness and risk, almost normalising the behaviour.

Want a good read " The Boys Club" Michael Warner, paints a picture which supports the spin of this 100%

Rant over

[skeptic]

It always has been with the problem far more rampant than is generally accepted.

There were significant whispers over a few of our marquee players over the mid-2000s period.

Reality has always been (IMO) that you have to take a position on it or don’t. The AFL hasn’t.

Do the random testing, make a few examples of the big names and watch the problem dissipate. A lot of what the current issue is… has a lot more to do with party culture than disadvantage.

[The_Dud]

Nearly a third of 18-24 year olds reported using "recreational" drugs in the last 12 months. That stat will be even higher for males. Drinking and smoking are on the way down, drugs are on the way up

Young footballers are the peak demographic for this kind of drug use; young, male, wealthy, 'jocks', most had privileged upbringings, 'bulletproof', culture, etc etc

So any club, including ours, would probably be in the minority if they had less than a quarter of the list using "recreational" drugs occasionally at the least.

[Moods]

Yep afraid so. I have daughter's in the demographic who often see footballers out and about not too concerned about what they are doing and who's watching them. Occasionally I'm disheartened to hear a Saints player's name, but thankfully not too often.

[magnifisaint]

Who cares about the drug culture. It's rampant through all sports. If anything the stupid doctor from Melbourne was rightfully sacked for being complicit with it.

[Life Long Saint]

Who cares about the drug culture. It's rampant through all sports.

Which sports? Which levels?
Makes sense that it would be limited to full-time sports where the athletes are younger, are well paid, and have high disposable incomes.
Limits it to mostly AFL/NRL doesn't it?

[Yorkeys]

Ever watched the opening scene in "The Last Boy Scout".
Juiced guy scores but has to shoot opponents to get over the line.
What can go wrong with AFL turning a blind eye; sponsor is betting industry not the Red Cross. $$$ talk, spin wins. Product will suffer, but.

[CarlD]

Struggling with the concept that people in the AFL arena are surprised that something like this could (allegedly) happen with the AFL Drugs Policy as it stands.

Will be interesting to see what WADA or whatever the local offshoot is called these days makes of these claims.

[B.M]

I can assure you

If you are between 18-25yo

You probably tried coke, you possibly use coke and some abuse coke!

It’s pretty rampant

[magnifisaint]

Who cares about the drug culture. It's rampant through all sports.

Which sports? Which levels?
Makes sense that it would be limited to full-time sports where the athletes are younger, are well paid, and have high disposable incomes.
Limits it to mostly AFL/NRL doesn't it?

Have a look at the major sports in Europe and the US.
Maradona was a coke head in the 80s and 90s. I'm sure all the major leagues in the US have bigger drug problems. Gotta be the same in the Premier League.

[Life Long Saint]

Who cares about the drug culture. It's rampant through all sports.

Which sports? Which levels?
Makes sense that it would be limited to full-time sports where the athletes are younger, are well paid, and have high disposable incomes.
Limits it to mostly AFL/NRL doesn't it?

Have a look at the major sports in Europe and the US.
Maradona was a coke head in the 80s and 90s. I'm sure all the major leagues in the US have bigger drug problems. Gotta be the same in the Premier League.

Oh...So one player in one sport on the other side of the world in the 80's was on coke equates to all sports.
Got it.
Thanks for clarifying!

Once again, young, overpaid athletes with a high disposable income.

[samuraisaint]

Ever watched the opening scene in "The Last Boy Scout".
Juiced guy scores but has to shoot opponents to get over the line.
What can go wrong with AFL turning a blind eye; sponsor is betting industry not the Red Cross. $$$ talk, spin wins. Product will suffer, but.

"I get by, I don't use it"

[Otiman]

I bet LK is "comfortable" with this one too.

[bergsone]

can of worms

[The G Train Legacy]

No recreational drug is performance enhancing, particularly in the context of match play. So it shouldn't be any of WADA's (or whatever they're called) business.

I actually think the doctors that helped their patients cover it up, acted appropriately and perfectly ethically.

I also support the AFL's push to get out of WADA (or whatever they're called). They're suspension of the Essendon players was a callous disgrace. And this is really what this is about, not to mention the new stadium in Hobart. Does Wilkie oppose that by any chance?

Politicians playing little games. The AFL need to respond with the middle finger.

[The G Train Legacy]

No recreational drug is performance enhancing, particularly in the context of match play. So it shouldn't be any of WADA's (or whatever they're called) business.

I actually think the doctors that helped their patients cover it up, acted appropriately and perfectly ethically.

I also support the AFL's push to get out of WADA (or whatever they're called). They're suspension of the Essendon players was a callous disgrace. And this is really what this is about, not to mention the new stadium in Hobart. Does Andrew Wilkie oppose that by any chance?

Politicians playing little games. The AFL need to respond with the middle finger.

[magnifisaint]

Who cares about the drug culture. It's rampant through all sports.

Which sports? Which levels?
Makes sense that it would be limited to full-time sports where the athletes are younger, are well paid, and have high disposable incomes.
Limits it to mostly AFL/NRL doesn't it?

Have a look at the major sports in Europe and the US.
Maradona was a coke head in the 80s and 90s. I'm sure all the major leagues in the US have bigger drug problems. Gotta be the same in the Premier League.

Oh...So one player in one sport on the other side of the world in the 80's was on coke equates to all sports.
Got it.
Thanks for clarifying!

Once again, young, overpaid athletes with a high disposable income.

Don't be so facetious. That's just one high profile example.

[Big Max]

Politics definitely.

The AFL is effectively 'bullying' the Tasmanian government to spend $squilions of taxpayer money on a new stadium with a roof.

The AFL projects itself as a high level community leader, and is self appointed spokesman for a wide range of community issues. It's important for the AFL to project itself to be of the optimum moral standing. But we all know they are hypocrites of the highest order, and the AFL probably use the same spin doctors as Benjamin Netanyahu to project it's image.

The Essendon saga was a farce. There is a reason the AFL will not allow this matter to enter the court system, and they will not allow the Hawthorn matter to enter the courts. In a court of law, it is perjury to tell a lie. The truth will almost certainly tarnish the AFL's reputation and community standing.

The AFL fixture is not equitable, the treatment of clubs is not equitable. The AFL is a ruthless and extremely wealthy business and will do 'whatever it takes' to protect it's image.

Sure, AFL players take drugs. Drugs are illegal, so is drunk driving, and so is rape. The AFL will do whatever it takes project a clean image.

More fool any of us who are fooled by the spin doctor.

[Vortex]

If you grew up during or post the 60s there's a massive, massive chance you have e enjoyed, or still enjoy recreational drugs. I DO.

When are we going to get past this BS hypocrisy.

Expect this to get swept under the carpet starter this 2t hour news cycle.

Acknowledging in advance there are people who have never participated but further acknowledge recreational drug use is almost as common as alcohol use and moreover one of the biggest drug dealers in the country is the federal government through its medical marijuana cartel.

[Scollop]

Dimma's been a fan of Mary Jane since he was a kid watching Cheech and Chong

[Yorkeys]

Very sad for the game overall. The lack of integrity that permeates the AFL Administration is rotting the game from inside.
Demetriou, McLaughlin now their lap dog and Ms Kane.
Pick an aspect: draw, compromised; draft and recruitment, compromised; umpiring, poor /inconsistent; owned by broadcasters and betting sponsors (dates of late seasongames notyet fixed); drugs, hide under the carpet including slap on wrist for AFLW Sydney players, lip service to fans about facilities, game day experience even as it accumulates wealth. It might think it is too big to fail like Crown, but if fans turn off disillusioned then it will quickly slide. It has no principles only profit and big salaries/ perks guide its venality. Very sad. Unless the Commission gets involved and demands integrity and a get back to basics.

[Life Long Saint]

Don't be so facetious.

My mum used to tell me same thing!

But it's still not every sport, is it?
In fact, I'd doubt it's anywhere close to every sport.

[cwrcyn]

Young people, middle aged people, and even older people take recreational drugs. They're everywhere and it's a reality we have to accept.

The drugs that really count are the performance enhancing drugs like EPO and this is where the testing should focus the most.

Most recreational drugs are not performance enhancing. In fact they'd be detrimental to performance. There are a couple, notably cocaine and speed that would be performance enhancing if taken immediately pre-game. There are protocols in place to deal with these that already exist.

To me, this whole saga is a case of an open secret suddenly being put out there in the public domain and then everybody gets to express the rage they previously didn't feel when they knew about it before it went public. A bit of grandstanding, some chest thumping and plenty of phoney moral hand wringing going on, methinks

Storm in a teacup.

[skeptic]

Young people, middle aged people, and even older people take recreational drugs. They're everywhere and it's a reality we have to accept.

The drugs that really count are the performance enhancing drugs like EPO and this is where the testing should focus the most.

Most recreational drugs are not performance enhancing. In fact they'd be detrimental to performance. There are a couple, notably cocaine and speed that would be performance enhancing if taken immediately pre-game. There are protocols in place to deal with these that already exist.

To me, this whole saga is a case of an open secret suddenly being put out there in the public domain and then everybody gets to express the rage they previously didn't feel when they knew about it before it went public. A bit of grandstanding, some chest thumping and plenty of phoney moral hand wringing going on, methinks

Storm in a teacup.

Agree on all points. I guess what I’m saying here is that in this case… it would be nice to put an end to the fallacy th at the AFL is trying to stamp this out.

My impression is that the current system allows players to use without fear of consequence as long as they report it. But then there’s this weird hypocrisy with the strikes system that hangs over a few select players (allegedly).

The lack of transparency annoys me. If they wanted zero tolerance, IMO it could be achieved pretty easily. They don’t but give off the impression that they do.

[SaintWiki]

This whole thing is a storm in a tea cup. Nothing is perfect. No-one knows how many times players or clubs are misusing the policy apart from the AFL, but if there was over 100 players involved it wouldn't have remained a secret for this long.

Although drugs are a serious problem in society this over-reaction by many people because of ignorance or media spin, and often because a mixture of both.

Nothing will improve by over-reacting on this issue - the current discussion may help improve the situation and may not, but don't forget it's all about player welfare and sport fairness.