Cousins: Rehab an option, but confident on passing drug test

[jim boy]

If it was just a matter of failing the test, then he wouldn't be suspended now. Even if he does fail it for a NPED, its unclear that anyone will be informed.

He is suspended because he is a mess, unreliable and a disrupting influence for the team. He isn't suspended simply because he may be a druggie.

 

[Haggard H]

I thought it was two.

Not in Australia. Warnie's minimum penalty was two years but he got 12 months???

I think most sports administrators in this country are employed purely to cover up 'illegal' activity.

 

[JeffDunne]

Did anyone consider that the drug he's addicted to may noy be illegal?

Is that important?

To be honest, I really don't give two hoots about non-performance enhancing drugs. They're an issue for the player and his employer.

IMO avoiding tests or trying to mask results is the most serious breach you can commit under the drug code. It compromises the integrity of testing which is central to having an effective anti-doping policy.

Players and especially officials involved should be booted from the game.

 

[JeffDunne]

He is suspended because he is a mess, unreliable and a disrupting influence for the team. He isn't suspended simply because he may be a druggie.

They are the symptoms not the cause.

The club have admitted he has a drug problem. Andy D admitted as much too.

 

[larrikin]

Is that important?

To be honest, I really don't give two hoots about non-performance enhancing drugs. They're an issue for the player and his employer.

IMO avoiding tests or trying to mask results is the most serious breach you can commit under the drug code. It compromises the integrity of testing which is central to having an effective anti-doping policy.

Players and especially officials involved should be booted from the game.

No, it's not really important. What I was responding to was this thread - ie he could be seeking rehab but pass the drug test because the drug isn't on any banned list

 

[larrikin]

They are the symptoms not the cause.

The club have admitted he has a drug problem. Andy D admitted as much too.

Where did the club admit this?

 

[JeffDunne]

There's plenty of legal drugs on the banned list.

You're suggesting he might be seeking rehab because he's addicted to a substance not on the banned list?

If that's the case why then not come out and tell us? It seems to have been acceptable to mention alcohol problems in the past, if it's something like that then why not tell us?

 

[JeffDunne]

Well the facts are listed, I think everyone else could connect those dots with ease

Where did the club admit this?

There you go Kapow . . . not everyone.

 

[douls]

There you go Kapow . . . not everyone.

The only people who can't fill the gaps seem to barrack for WCE. Weird....

 

[kookadog]

Assuming it's possibly benny's 3rd possitive test

The club found out the testers were there and told benny if he had doubts about passing the test not to come to training.

Club covers it's ass by saying he's suspended for not coming to training.

Benny does everything possible to get the drugs out of his system as soon as possible with or without the assistance of the club.

Benny's cleared the drugs from his body - does the test.

Club says to benny, this has got to stop, we need to show that we won't tolerate this stuff, We'll send you to the US so you can get clean and away from the media circus at the same time.

Benny comes back clean trains the house down and helps the eagles start winning again rd 6,

Benny the Hero for defeating a drug problem.

 

[larrikin]

The only people who can't fill the gaps seem to barrack for WCE. Weird....

We can all fill the gaps.

However this was a statement of fact. I haven't heard the club admit he has a drug problem

 

[larrikin]

There's plenty of legal drugs on the banned list.

You're suggesting he might be seeking rehab because he's addicted to a substance not on the banned list?

If that's the case why then not come out and tell us? It seems to have been acceptable to mention alcohol problems in the past, if it's something like that then why not tell us?

I meant legal from a sporting point of view, I should have clarified what I meant.

I agree with your sentiment though, if this is the case why not admit it? We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[*Danni*]

I'm skeptical over this 'skipped training/drug test' thingy. In my experience that is not how it works.

All Clubs MUST provide the AFL with a full training/movements list 2 weeks in advance (and advise immediately if any changes are made). These details are passed onto ASADA. Now if ASADA show up at a traning session even where the players say are taking a walk on the beach instead of say a skills session, and ASADA have with them the list of players they wish to test, and one of those players is not there? Unless he is in hospital or on a plane or in another country at that very moment, my understanding is the player has only a very limited time (a few hours) to present themselves for that test.

It's not like because he wasn't there he won't get tested and then can come out and voluntarily take one in the next couple of days to clear his name. If he was a 'chosen one' for that day, for that session, he's got only a couple of hours to get his arse into gear and present for the test. There is an onus on the club to also present him for the test. He can't just 'get out of one'.

 

[JeffDunne]

At the very least Danni the AFL should investigate what actually happened.

 

[jim boy]

They are the symptoms not the cause.

The club have admitted he has a drug problem. Andy D admitted as much too.

But's that is the point. When Cousin's problems, and those of certain other players, weren't having a direct impact on the perfmormace of the team, the club was quite happy to keep its head well and truly in the sand. They just let the problem fester until it reached boiling point and Cousins was physically unable to continue on. Now the club is still in denial, as demonstrated by their banishment of Ben and hoping the problem will just solve itself, rather than addressing the cause, his rehabilitation and the lifestyle of the players. WCE have never attempted to get the cause, they've only been bothered with the symptons.

 

[*Danni*]

At the very least Danni the AFL should investigate what actually happened.

I don't know if they can JD.

In all seriousness, players from all clubs miss training all the time without good enough reasons. They overslept, they went out the night before, their car broke down, their mobile ran out of battery so they couldn't let someone know, a uni lecture ran late, they have an exam they forgot to try and get changed, the plumber arrived late at their house etc etc etc.

I would wager that across the league adding them all up, there'd be 3 or more of these a week. Sometimes legitimate, plenty of times not. But the thing is you don't hear about them so they fall by the wayside.

The scope for the drugs testing is already there. Miss training without good reason, you get reprimanded by your club. Miss training wher eit looks like you were sposed to take a drug test - tough, you still gotta take the test - that's the agreement in place with the AFL and ASADA.

I don't see what it is the AFL would be investigating?

 

[kimp]

What happens if they don't turn up for the test Danni?

 

[douls]

We can all fill the gaps.

However this was a statement of fact. I haven't heard the club admit he has a drug problem

do you need them to come out and say it matter of factly to beleive it? Do you honestly beleive there is/has been no drug problems at the club. Do you beleive everything a politician tells you?

 

[JeffDunne]

I don't know if they can JD.

Of course they can.

In all seriousness, players from all clubs miss training all the time without good enough reasons. They overslept, they went out the night before, their car broke down, their mobile ran out of battery so they couldn't let someone know, a uni lecture ran late, they have an exam they forgot to try and get changed, the plumber arrived late at their house etc etc etc.

I would wager that across the league adding them all up, there'd be 3 or more of these a week. Sometimes legitimate, plenty of times not. But the thing is you don't hear about them so they fall by the wayside.

How many players miss training - two sessions in one day - and then the club admits you have a substance abuse problem? Not only that, they admit it the day after you've had a drug test - a test they are "very, very" confident he'll pass?

The scope for the drugs testing is already there. Miss training without good reason, you get reprimanded by your club. Miss training wher eit looks like you were sposed to take a drug test - tough, you still gotta take the test - that's the agreement in place with the AFL and ASADA.

It's not up to ASADA to hand out punishments. They report what they find.

If someone misses a test for 24 hours they can report it, but it's up to the AFL to act on it. Look at the incidents around the events of Monday and there's a lot more questions there than what ASADA will report.

I don't see what it is the AFL would be investigating?

Ummm . . . the clubs involvement in all this.

 

[shoe]

do you need them to come out and say it matter of factly to beleive it? Do you honestly beleive there is/has been no drug problems at the club. Do you beleive everything a politician tells you?

That's not what he was getting at. He was just correcting someone when they stated that the club had come out and said he has/had a drug problem, which is not the case.
He didn't say anything about believing that Cousins was clean unless the club said so?

 

[Belgian_Tiger_Army]

But's that is the point. When Cousin's problems, and those of certain other players, weren't having a direct impact on the perfmormace of the team, the club was quite happy to keep its head well and truly in the sand. They just let the problem fester until it reached boiling point and Cousins was physically unable to continue on.

Agree with this bit - the club kept it's head in the sand until it boiled over. To me - this is the most alarming thing and something that must worry the AFL. Warnings 5 years ago were ignored and one of the players the warning was about is now a club leader. As a leader - you can guarantee he's influenced some of his team mates and some of them will have similiar lifestyles keeping up with him.

If I had a 17/18yo kid drafted by the WCE - I'd be crapping myself right now. Sure, my kid has to grow up and will see drugs anyway - but in normal circumstances my kid isn't going to be training with, being led by, looking up to and socialising with someone who allegedly has been a drug user for 5/6/7 years. This is the most worrying "strategic" aspect of this whole story from an AFL perspective. (By the way - I'm in no way implying the WCE are the only club with a problem - all do to some extent).

Now the club is still in denial, as demonstrated by their banishment of Ben and hoping the problem will just solve itself, rather than addressing the cause, his rehabilitation and the lifestyle of the players. WCE have never attempted to get the cause, they've only been bothered with the symptons.

I disagree with this part. The clubs public stance may be we've got the problem under control - that's the media spin they wish to use to hose down the story. That said, behind close doors you can guarantee a whole lot of other stuff is happening. It better be - for all the reasons I listed in my last paragraph.

 

[scooter600x]

Missing a test is far worse than a positive test for NPED.

Missing a test could be to cover up PED so the penalty has to be consistant with testing +ve for PED - 2 years.

Not suggesting Cousins has taken PED, of course, but the rule makers would have to consider that a player missing a test could be trying to avoid testing +ve for PED.

 

[footyfreak]

my friend had a doctors appointment and drug test on a monday morning after securing a job. She'd be on the gear a couple of days earlier and is a regular weekend warrior (takes gear most weekends).

She took this stuff called ZYDOT. It's $85 for one bottle. It's effectiveness is within 1-4 hours after consuming and urinating must occur 2-3 times to flush toxins.

She drank this stuff which she said was foul....like drinking muddy water, went to her appointment and passed no problem.

edit: she got it from "off ya tree" in hindley st in Adelaide. Ironic hey

 

[Alphanumeric]

Did anyone consider that the drug he's addicted to may noy be illegal?

Ofcourse they haven't. People just assume it's coke or ice.

 

[plugger47]

We can all fill the gaps.

However this was a statement of fact. I haven't heard the club admit he has a drug problem

And what's the significance of its non-admission? For the gullible mugs it apparently means there is no drugs problem. What it means is that the club is part of the problem and there will be no solution untill there is a clean out of the senior administration