- Banned
- #76
Have you ever had to help families pick up the pieces after a love one has died from an OD. Have you ever seen the anguish of parents as they have had to help a child deal with their drug addiction. Get your head out of the sand, engage your brain and remember that what we are dealing with are products that are illegal. As I said in my original post and quantified - if any player is found with illegal drugs in their system then they must be dealt with (and I include Hawthorn players in this statement) - this is just not a shot at the supposed Chad Fletcher incident but to all other 24 players that have been caught. I would also like to point out that in Victoria if you are caught with drugs in your system whilst driving a car your name is not suppressed - you are gulity and your offence is available to all via court documents - where does the AFL have the right to suppress names for an illegal offence. In all states throughout Australia if you are caught in possession of illegal drugs then you are either fined on the spot or dealt with in the court system, my question is why do the AFL think they are above the law. The fact is here that your name then is available in the open forum as you have broken the law.
In regards to the Chad Fletcher incident I am commenting on all of the press reports. I dont blame West Coast on this one if it is true but the AFL as I believe that West Coast are being guided by the AFL on this matter. No club would be that stupid to change their story 3 times at least without guidance from the AFL.
As I worked for a couple of years with Perths largest agency dealing with drug addiction, the answer to most of your questions is yes.
Certainly have found a kid dead, a couple almost dead and have been with the parents when told their kid is dead. So thanks for assuming I hadnt.
The reality is though that I am capable of separating the emotion from reality and it would be grossly unfair on Fletcher if he became the pin-up boy for drugs in the AFL just so a couple of Melbourne journos could stick it to the AFL for stopping them publishing names in the past.
The AFL has decided that best practice involves 3 strikes and prior to that treatment in confidence. Fletcher deserves (even if guilty) the same treatment as all the others.