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.

 

[matthew_s]

That’s debatable.

No it’s not.

 

[Back One Out]

"Bulldogs star 'unlikely' to face Freo"


So he misses 2 games for "personal" reasons.

Hmmm.

 

[memoryofmchale]

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?

They don’t. It ruins their image and turns off fans leading to less revenue.

 

[memoryofmchale]

"Bulldogs star 'unlikely' to face Freo"


So he misses 2 games for "personal" reasons.

Hmmm.

The rumour mill spins again. It could be anything from an arrest to a family matter.

 

[matthew_s]

The rumour mill spins again. It could be anything from an arrest to a family matter.

Sure it could be anything. The AFL have proven they will lie so no matter what they say, it could be a drug issue too.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

They don’t. It ruins their image and turns off fans leading to less revenue.

And the general public is full of morons so they dont demand better.

 

[Aussie in exile]

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.

Your club should never destroyed all the paperwork and files of what was injected into the players IF it was NOT peds.
Of course if it was peds that's why they destroyed paperwork and files.

 

[Outtatym]

Your club should never destroyed all the paperwork and files of what was injected into the players IF it was NOT peds.
Of course if it was peds that's why they destroyed paperwork and files.

No one innocent of anything acts guilty

 

[Shane Heard]

Your club should never destroyed all the paperwork and files of what was injected into the players IF it was NOT peds.
Of course if it was peds that's why they destroyed paperwork and files.

Heresy dribble.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Heresy dribble.

So your club didn't destroy all the evidence of what was injected into the players?
IF they didn't destroy it where is it?

 

[Obeanie1]

What are you suggesting? Doctors should be compelled to report an individual’s private medical information (including drug tests) to their employer? Governing bodies? The police?

Plenty of workers get drug tested and results provided to their employer.

Then the employer works through the issues and in the majority of cases supports the employee to change behaviour and act / work within their employment guidelines.

Who is paying for these services? Who set it all up? The employer...the AFL.

This is the AFL once again sweeping bad news under the carpet so its brand isnt damaged. The AFL would have set this up with doctors and confidentially to protect its brand and income. They say all the fluffy warm and fuzzy terms with a serious voice of concern on player welfare. But the end of the day they are protecting their product brand image and earnings.

 

[peetoo]

The industry has two characteristics which suggest it should take more human care.

1 it sends young men a long way from their previous support networks, and given the intense activity of young sportsmen, they are likely to have depended heavily on that. One WA club has been notoriously bad at taking over those aspects in the past.
2. It institutionally sacks at least 3 players per club each and every year

 

[dropbear101]

"Among the shock details to emerge on Wednesday was an allegation Balic witnessed footballers using drugs when he joined the Dockers as a teenager."

That's pretty shocking. I've always thought and certainly had it drummed into me that much like booing, it's only one WA team that has an issue with drugs.

yeah, freo seem to be a case of them being morons

we had this period of time where we bought in lots of players from other clubs. other clubs are happy to let go of good players if they have problems behind the scenes. or players who have problems will have families telling them to come home if they have problems.
then they would allow draftees to board with players traded in. for example harley balic in 2015 boarding with bennell. thus allowing a drug culture to take hold in the later years of ross lyons tenure. Ross to his credit began cleaning things out at the very end. but it did severe internal damage. balic parents are right to be angry. freo not thinking helped ruin his life.

there was other incidents with were unrelated to drugs. but things like the just traded in shane kersten "ruffing up lachie neale". who left end of that season. etc. all which killed a very professional culture which had developed under pavlich, sandilands, mcpharlin, ross,..etc.
freo only ever draft people with "good character" these days. from good schools with lovely parents. i think this is why we lack flair tbh. we also seem to lack mongrel,..etc. we seem to draft way less indigenous talent as well. freo have the most games played ever for indigenous people. really destroyed the character of the club.

 

[Shane Heard]

So your club didn't destroy all the evidence of what was injected into the players?
IF they didn't destroy it where is it?

Dank alone destroyed all records and everything else without consultation and so the club later had zero paperwork available for the authorities to peruse.

That is the plain and simple truth about that particular section of the Saga.

 

[blackshadow]

So your club didn't destroy all the evidence of what was injected into the players?
IF they didn't destroy it where is it?

Spreadsheets is hard

 

[Aussie in exile]

Dank alone destroyed all records and everything else without consultation and so the club later had zero paperwork available for the authorities to peruse.

That is the plain and simple truth about that particular section of the Saga.

So obviously Dank knew what was being injected into the players was illegal.

 

[Chief]

Dank alone destroyed all records and everything else without consultation and so the club later had zero paperwork available for the authorities to peruse.

That is the plain and simple truth about that particular section of the Saga.

Yeah - you don't think other people had texts, emails and paperwork? That's what nailed Jimmy.

Why would you make a 3rd party contractor solely responsible for record keeping, with no sharing or sign off with the club doctor?

Why tell your players NOT to declare certain treatments on their standard forms?

 

[matthew_s]

Yeah - you don't think other people had texts, emails and paperwork? That's what nailed Jimmy.

Why would you make a 3rd party contractor solely responsible for record keeping, with no sharing or sign off with the club doctor?

Why tell your players NOT to declare certain treatments on their standard forms?

And ummm….why destroy the records if it was just vitamins?

We don’t know what the players were injected with but we know it wasn’t illegal - that’s still the official position of EFC.

 

[speedpeck23]

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.

Guess you have to blame the doctors

 

[Aussie in exile]

Guess you have to blame the doctors

I wonder if certain people whisper in there ear and say "Don't look too hard"?

 

[speedpeck23]

I wonder if certain people whisper in there ear and say "Don't look too hard"?

Still the doctor's responsibility. Better get the Medical Board on to it.

 

[Aussie in exile]

And ummm….why destroy the records if it was just vitamins?

We don’t know what the players were injected with but we know it wasn’t illegal - that’s still the official position of EFC.

As you and I know and others know, you wouldn't destroy evidence if that evidence showed what was injected into the players was legal.
Nobody of intelligence believes the Bombers position on this.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Still the doctor's responsibility. Better get the Medical Board on to it.

So do we know if the doctors were indepdent or on the AFL or Bombers pay roll?

 

[speedpeck23]

So do we know if the doctors were indepdent or on the AFL or Bombers pay roll?

Better ask the doctors.....again it's their responsibility irrespective.

 

[Franc de Borges]

Dank alone destroyed all records and everything else without consultation and so the club later had zero paperwork available for the authorities to peruse.

That is the plain and simple truth about that particular section of the Saga.

A mate of mine is a Nigerian prince and you might be interested in what he has to offer.