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.

 

[PP34]

Probably did contribute, as he was allowed to spiral to what I presume was a pretty dire point without formal intervention..

Who knows the full story, but I can’t say I disagree with the father

Based off Ross Lyon’s comments it doesn’t really seem like a case where his problems were hidden

 

[HairyO]

1 in 8 players has a drug issue and the AFL is happy to sweep it all under the rug. At what point do they admit there is a serious problem requiring a heavy hand to clean up the sport?

 

[Beerfish]

1 in 8 players has a drug issue and the AFL is happy to sweep it all under the rug. At what point do they admit there is a serious problem requiring a heavy hand to clean up the sport?

When they're backed into such a tight corner it's unavoidable?

 

[HairyO]

When they're backed into such a tight corner it's unavoidable?

They will be in meetings where the topic would be "How do we weasel out of this" rather than what they should be doing is having meetings where the topic is "How do we fix this issue".

Giving 100 players a free pass to keep feeding their drug habit is simply insane. Im sure when this first broke the AFL wanted us to believe it was a handful of players being managed by club doctors. But 100 players ? There is simply no way they can be managing that many players - particularly given the doctors arent telling the club unless the player wants the club to know.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Well my main takeaway from all this is it just reinforcing my view that Eddie McGuire is one of humanity's all-time great morons.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

When they're backed into such a tight corner it's unavoidable?

If what happened with Clarry was not enough to come out and address this properly then I loathe the day where something happens that is enough..

 

[legend166]

I know a lot of people basically take a "who cares" approach, but I don't think it's unreasonable to want the AFL not to be a place where teenagers walk in, and a not insignificant number walk out with drug addictions.

Draw a line a take a zero tolerance approach going forward. We're heading into NBA in the 80s territory and their cocaine problem almost destroyed the league.

Where's David Silver when you need him.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

1 in 8 players has a drug issue and the AFL is happy to sweep it all under the rug. At what point do they admit there is a serious problem requiring a heavy hand to clean up the sport?

Once and active player overdoses then they will.

Been numerous examples of ex players but this will force change which they are incapable of implementing themselves.

 

[HairyO]

Once and active player overdoses then they will.

Been numerous examples of ex players but this will force change which they are incapable of implementing themselves.

Its quite possible there are players overdosing. Overdosing and dying or being picked up by an ambulance who then leak the story is what it would take.

 

[Aussie in exile]

1 in 8 players has a drug issue and the AFL is happy to sweep it all under the rug. At what point do they admit there is a serious problem requiring a heavy hand to clean up the sport?

I woudl suggest that its more than 1 in 8 of AFL players have a drug issue, but AFL house are not worried about players welfare, and that they are only concerned about protecting the AFL brand and the money it brings in.

 

[kane249]

Once and active player overdoses then they will.

That already happened with Travis Tuck

 

[matthew_s]

That already happened with Travis Tuck

Maybe we'll find it happened with Clayton Oliver last year and they were able to cover it up?

 

[Sarcoidevo]

The AFL have been covering up or at least turning a blind eye to systemic team PED use up for years ..... West Coast during the Cousins years ..... Geelong during their PED Robinson-Thompson years .... then Collingwood with their HGH late Malthouse years.

It all came to a head when Robinson joined up again with Thompson and Hird at Essendon and the AFL finally put their foot down on systemic PED use yet they still happily kept sweeping the social drug use under the carpet which is something they couldn't control.

Obviously social drug use ... is and has been ... so rife in AFL player circles that the AFL could only install a system whereby players could dodge suspension or else the league would have fallen apart with a huge number of players being publicly outed and copping huge bans.

 

[matthew_s]

It all came to a head when Robinson joined up again with Thompson and Hird at Essendon and the AFL finally put their foot down on systemic PED use

The AFL did no such thing. Their hand was forced by the ACC.

 

[conrad_437]

I know a lot of people basically take a "who cares" approach, but I don't think it's unreasonable to want the AFL not to be a place where teenagers walk in, and a not insignificant number walk out with drug addictions.

Draw a line a take a zero tolerance approach going forward. We're heading into NBA in the 80s territory and their cocaine problem almost destroyed the league.

Where's David Silver when you need him.

Agreed - Gillon Dillon really should be taking a stance similar to David Silver

 

[Shane Heard]

The AFL have been covering up or at least turning a blind eye to systemic team PED use up for years ..... West Coast during the Cousins years ..... Geelong during their PED Robinson-Thompson years .... then Collingwood with their HGH late Malthouse years.

It all came to a head when Robinson joined up again with Thompson and Hird at Essendon and the AFL finally put their foot down on systemic PED use yet they still happily kept sweeping the social drug use under the carpet which is something they couldn't control.

Obviously social drug use ... is and has been ... so rife in AFL player circles that the AFL could only install a system whereby players could dodge suspension or else the league would have fallen apart with a huge number of players being publicly outed and copping huge bans.

Yep …Geelong were Ped popping under Bomber and Hird decided (or was persuaded by others) to ramp that practice up to a higher level.

Apparently they were all legal substances at the the time at the Cattery.

So the some egg at the AFL HQ knew what was going on.

We think we have an elite management system running the league.

What we really got is a three ring circus with evidence showing that all sorts of deplorable acts of skullduggery have been going on for the last 20 years in this organisation.

 

[blackshadow]

The AFL have been covering up or at least turning a blind eye to systemic team PED use up for years ..... West Coast during the Cousins years ..... Geelong during their PED Robinson-Thompson years .... then Collingwood with their HGH late Malthouse years.

It all came to a head when Robinson joined up again with Thompson and Hird at Essendon and the AFL finally put their foot down on systemic PED use yet they still happily kept sweeping the social drug use under the carpet which is something they couldn't control.

Obviously social drug use ... is and has been ... so rife in AFL player circles that the AFL could only install a system whereby players could dodge suspension or else the league would have fallen apart with a huge number of players being publicly outed and copping huge bans.

The AFL only acted on the Essendon doping because it was out of their control. Firstly through the ACC and later WADA after the AFL tried to slap Essendon with a wet lettuce leaf.

 

[Shane Heard]

The AFL did no such thing. Their hand was forced by the ACC.

That’s debatable.

 

[Shane Heard]

The AFL only acted on the Essendon doping because it was out of their control. Firstly through the ACCC and later WADA after the AFL tried to slap Essendon with a wet lettuce leaf.

Yeah…who let it get out of control?

With prior knowledge.

The AFL commission gave their second biggest, blue chip, cow cash juggernaut Victorian club to the wolves ..and watched them get eaten alive.

Idiots.

 

[blackshadow]

Yeah…who let it get out of control?

With prior knowledge.

The AFL gave their second biggest, blue chip, cow cash Victoria club to the wolves and watched them get eaten.

Idiots.

 

[Shane Heard]

Chortle

Everyone now knows we got railroaded and convicted without trial ..even if you dare not admit it.

I personally have polled 971 people in the last 8 years on this issue.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Yep …Geelong were Ped popping under Bomber and Hird decided (or was persuaded by others) to ramp that practice up to a higher level.

Apparently they were all legal substances at the the time at the Cattery.

So the some egg at the AFL HQ knew what was going on.

We think we have an elite management system running the league.

What we really got is a three ring circus with evidence showing that all sorts of deplorable acts of skullduggery have been going on for the last 20 years in this organisation.

His name was Andrew Dimwitriou

 

[Altum Volantes]

I personally have polled 971 people in the last 8 years on this issue.

What you get up to in your own time is nobody else’s business mate.

 

[Shane Heard]

What you get up to in your own time is nobody else’s business mate.

Well that’s just ignoring my evidence that I have worked very hard to collect- thank you very much.

 

[Shane Heard]

His name was Andrew Dimwitriou

I concur.

The man was as shifty as a sewer rat.