News Clubs operating league-sanctioned drug testing program - Harley Balic’s Dad Speaks

[Chief]

AFL Statement

As well as being a signatory to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code via the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code, the AFL has an Illicit Drug Policy which has been in place since 2005, and at the core of the policy is a commitment to player wellbeing and welfare.

The AFL Illicit Drug Policy (IDP) is a policy that specifically deals with the use of illicit substances out of competition and is focussed on player health and well-being. The policy seeks to reduce substance use and drug-related harms for AFL players and aims to inform and rehabilitate players through education and intervention.

It exists alongside and in addition to the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code which covers prohibited substances including some illicit substances in competition as prescribed by the WADA prohibited list.

Urine tests conducted by doctors to determine if a player has used illicit substances are part of the AFL’s Illicit Drug Policy medical model and have been for some time.

Doctors may use those urine tests to obtain an immediate result to determine whether any illicit substance remains in a player’s system. This is normally conducted at the club or in the doctors consulting rooms.

If the test shows a substance is still in the players system, a doctor will take steps to prevent a player from taking part in either training and/or an AFL match both for their own health and welfare and because having illicit substances in your system on match day may be deemed performance enhancing and a breach of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (depending on the substance involved).

It is absolutely imperative that no doctor or club official should ever allow or encourage a player to take the field knowing they have recently taken an illicit substance that may be harmful to their health and/or may be deemed performance-enhancing (as many illicit substances are on match day).

We support the WADA code (as it applies to our sport through the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code) and support the fundamental premise on which it is founded that any player who takes the field with a performance-enhancing prohibited substance in their system should be treated in accordance with the Anti-Doping Code and face heavy sanctions.

The AFL observes that AFL players are not immune to the societal issues faced by young people with respect to illicit substances and also acknowledges that illicit drug use problems commonly co-occur with other mental health conditions.

While the AFL’s medical model involves a multidisciplinary healthcare management plan, the monitoring of players is highly confidential. A doctor or healthcare professional generally cannot disclose the nature of the clinical intervention or condition to others unless the player willingly consents.

We understand that the Illicit Drugs Policy can be improved and we are working with the AFLPA and players to improve the policy and the system to ensure we are better able to change the behaviours of players. But we are unapologetic about club and AFL doctors taking the correct steps to ensure that any player who they believe has an illicit substance in their system does not take part in any AFL match and that doctor patient confidentially is upheld and respected.

The AFL will always be required to make decisions which seek to balance competing rights and interests. The medical interests and welfare of players is a priority for the AFL given everything we know about the risks facing young people generally and those who play our game in particular.

 

[1990crow]

The AFL is a gambling infiltrated business. No one should be surprised.

 

[Disco Dew]

 

[Rich]

“ it is an AFL problem with multiple players coming to Melbourne from other teams with pre-existing cocaine dependencies more than suggesting that drug testing workarounds are commonplace elsewhere in the AFL.”

Interesting comment.

 

[Roogene]

 

[Devington]

“ it is an AFL problem with multiple players coming to Melbourne from other teams with pre-existing cocaine dependencies more than suggesting that drug testing workarounds are commonplace elsewhere in the AFL.”

Interesting comment.

If the AFL was actively enabling one club to do it I'd be quite shocked if they weren't also enabling other clubs.

 

[g_TRAIN]

How do we know this isn't just a Melbourne FC thing?

On Pixel 6a using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Devington]

Anyone else remember Lachey Whitfield's suspension almost a decade ago? IIRC called the club saying he did a bunch of drugs and was piss scared of getting tested and Gubby Allen had him hide out somewhere else to avoid testing.

 

[Makeshift Park]

How do we know this isn't just a Melbourne FC thing?

On Pixel 6a using BigFooty.com mobile app

Seemingly because the former head doctor at Melbourne says he's had heaps of players from other clubs coming to him for help?

 

[Cyclops]

“ it is an AFL problem with multiple players coming to Melbourne from other teams with pre-existing cocaine dependencies more than suggesting that drug testing workarounds are commonplace elsewhere in the AFL.”

Interesting comment.

"He did it first sir"

No way you'd find Collingwood players snorting white powder in the toilets of a regional venue during the preseason.

Jokes asked, I agree the war on drugs is lost. More than half the young men and women I know take illegal drugs occasionally, and nearly all of them have tried it at least once. I reckon I know more zoomers who avoid alcohol than who avoid drugs, so weird to me.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Let’s see if this becomes the massive story it deserves to be, or if it is swept under the rug.

AFL sanctioned cheating. Should be front page.

 

[Devington]

Let’s see if this becomes the massive story it deserves to be, or if it is swept under the rug.

AFL sanctioned cheating. Should be front page.

Robbo probably already on the phone to his bestie Hird to get a quote about how two faced and evil the AFL is.

 

[The Feeder Club]

I mean the AFL complicit in, if not encouraging, clubs to circumvent the world anti-doping code is as big as it gets if true

 

[Buzz Hawk]

“ it is an AFL problem with multiple players coming to Melbourne from other teams with pre-existing cocaine dependencies more than suggesting that drug testing workarounds are commonplace elsewhere in the AFL.”

Interesting comment.

rapidly googles Melbournes trading of the last ten years

 

[The Feeder Club]

Let’s see if this becomes the massive story it deserves to be, or if it is swept under the rug.

AFL sanctioned cheating. Should be front page.

One can already predict the "disgruntled ex-employee with an axe to grind" defense

 

[Eshay187]

Let’s see if this becomes the massive story it deserves to be, or if it is swept under the rug.

AFL sanctioned cheating. Should be front page.

Is it a big story?

If they’re not performance enhancing, and not under the influence while playing then I don’t really care what they do in their private time.

They’re only hurting themselves and their team.

 

[Sphynx]

Let’s see if this becomes the massive story it deserves to be, or if it is swept under the rug.

AFL sanctioned cheating. Should be front page.

Swept under the rug by whom?

The media will see this as the Essendon scandal 2.0.

Look at his comments regarding the documents he attempted to lodge to parliament

“For instance here are very detailed notes of a telephone meeting between Gill McLachlan, Richard Goyder and Glen Bartlett.”

The AFL media loves nothing more than getting someone sacked/resigned and an early resignation by Gill would be as big as it gets.

 

[Visions]

Most likely happens at most if not all clubs, but unfortunately for the Melbourne Football Club, they spent all summer harping about no big drug culture problem at the club, and then another piece of news comes out to the contrary.

More rinse and repeat press conferences coming up from Gawn and co?

 

[Makeshift Park]

Let’s see if this becomes the massive story it deserves to be, or if it is swept under the rug.

AFL sanctioned cheating. Should be front page.

Surely there's a provision in the sports integrity australia or anti-doping legislation somewhere that says professional leagues can't just make up injuries to cover up players getting coked up the wazoo.

 

[nick1408]

Is it a big story?

If they’re not performance enhancing, and not under the influence while playing then I don’t really care what they do in their private time.

They’re only hurting themselves and their team.

Cocaine is considered to be a performance-enhancing substance if detected on game day.

In the article linked in the opening post

 

[Joao]

WTF am I going to watch all winter if they dissolve the league?

Is it a big story?

If they’re not performance enhancing, and not under the influence while playing then I don’t really care what they do in their private time.

They’re only hurting themselves and their team.

Rioli got 2 years for sample tampering. Isn't this the same thing but on a potentially league-wide scale and AFL endorsed?

I'm not sure what power WADA has over the AFL and I am no lawyer, but feels like something that could destroy the league.

 

[Roogene]

The official AFL defense will be that this was part of their illicit drugs program. It was part of looking after the player and the club doctor helping them with their drug issue. As part of helping the player the doctor conducted a test to identify what the player was taking etc etc.

Under the drug policy this was kept confidential as per the agreement with the players association so that players would seek help. As the player never played with it in their system they broke no rules.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Is it a big story?

If they’re not performance enhancing, and not under the influence while playing then I don’t really care what they do in their private time.

They’re only hurting themselves and their team.

Cocaine is on the WADA banned substances list.

As long as that remains the case this is a big story.

 

[Roogene]

WTF am I going to watch all winter if they dissolve the league?



Rioli got 2 years for sample tampering. Isn't this the same thing but on a potentially league-wide scale and AFL endorsed?

I'm not sure what power WADA has over the AFL and I am no lawyer, but feels like something that could destroy the league.

AFL can just withdraw from WADA, problem is that would result in the loss of Government funding. As I have said, the AFL will just say this is part of their illicit drug program to help players.

 

[Saintsone]

Robbo probably already on the phone to his bestie Hird to get a quote about how two faced and evil the AFL is.

As he should be

 

[Robroy22]

Let’s see if this becomes the massive story it deserves to be, or if it is swept under the rug.

AFL sanctioned cheating. Should be front page.

Where's Caro?