Scandal Joel Smith (Melbourne): Cocaine trafficking accusation

[Chief]

Trafficking Accusation:

Scandal - Joel Smith (Melbourne): Cocaine trafficking accusation

Trafficking Accusation: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/joel-smith-melbourne-cocaine-trafficking-accusation.1373812/post-82421629 MFC and AFL Statements: Melbourne Football Club Media Statement – Joel Smith The Melbourne Football Club has been advised by the AFL that further...

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MFC and AFL Statements:

Melbourne Football Club Media Statement – Joel Smith

The Melbourne Football Club has been advised by the AFL that further Anti-Doping Rule Violations have been asserted against Joel Smith by Sport Integrity Australia.

The Melbourne Football Club is not authorised to make public comment while this is an ongoing matter that is being investigated by Sport Integrity Australia.

It should be noted since the article has been published on the Herald Sun website, Joel’s management has contacted the Club on his behalf to advise that the comments made by the source within the article are not reflective of Joel’s views and the source is not speaking on any authority from Joel.

Joel has made it very clear that he has no issues or concerns with anyone at the Melbourne Football Club.

As the Club has previously stated, we will wait for the investigation to be completed before we update our supporters further.

AFL STATEMENT – JOEL SMITH

The AFL confirms that further Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) have been asserted against Joel Smith of the Melbourne Football Club under the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code.

Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) has notified Smith that three ADRVs for “Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking” of Cocaine to third parties are asserted against him.

Under the Code, Trafficking in an anti-doping context is relevantly defined to be “Selling, giving, transporting, sending, delivering or distributing a Prohibited Substance, by an Athlete … to any third party [but] shall not include actions involving Prohibited Substances which are not prohibited in Out-of-Competition Testing unless the circumstances as a whole demonstrate such Prohibited Substances are not intended for genuine and legal therapeutic purposes or are intended to enhance sport performance” (Article 1 of the Code).

Further, SIA has notified Smith that an ADRV for Possession of a Prohibited Substance (Cocaine) on 9 September 2022 is asserted against him.

These ADRVs are in addition to that previously asserted against him (in connection with a sample provided by him after the match between Melbourne and Hawthorn on 20 August 2023 which tested positive to Cocaine and its metabolite, Benzoylecgonine).

Smith will continue to be provisionally suspended pending the finalisation of all of these matters, meaning he is not permitted to be part of Melbourne’s football program, including Melbourne’s pre-season training that is currently underway.

Under the Code, the new asserted ADRVs will be further investigated by SIA and these matters may ultimately be heard by an AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal in the coming months.

Due to the ongoing nature of the anti-doping process, the AFL and SIA are unable to make any further comment at this time.

 

[Kings of Lygon]

A player from a Melbourne-based finals team has tested positive to drugs late in the home and away season.

A urine sample taken from the player after a game in the weeks leading up to the AFL finals returned positive for a banned substance, believed to be cocaine.

Hmmmmmm.

The article goes on to say that it's confirmed by a "source" that the club the person in question plays for was involved in finals, which narrows it down to said player being from Collingwood, Melbourne, Carlton or St. Kilda.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Interesting.

Bet they thought it would be well out of their system.

 

[ash_1050]

They don't test during the off season, so it has to have been someone using coke during the season.

That narrows it down to only 90% of the list as prime suspects.

 

[mrpez]

Clearly the only sensible decision from here is to strip Collingwood of the premiership

 

[FuManchu]

They don't test during the off season, so it has to have been someone using coke during the season.

That narrows it down to only 90% of the list as prime suspects.

Tested positive after a game during the home and away season.

 

[unplugged]

We haven't had a scandal for about 2 weeks so we're due here at Collingwood

 

[Golden_6]

Wait, why is this news? I assumed this would happen semi-regularly and the player would simply receive a strike.

 

[StickerMan]

Surprise, surprise.... Cashed up bogan does cocaine.

 

[FuManchu]

Wait, why is this news? I assumed this would happen semi-regularly and the player would simply receive a strike.

Not when the test was done match day.

 

[Lee]

Nobel apparently

 

[StickerMan]

Nobel apparently

Would make sense given his absence from the team.

 

[BORIS332]

Wait, why is this news? I assumed this would happen semi-regularly and the player would simply receive a strike.

Not when it is "in competition":

AFL rules dictate that the “in-competition” period starts at “11:59pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to participate through the end of such competition and the sample collection process’’.

"The penalty for an “in competition” positive test is up to four years’ suspension, although there are provisions for a lesser penalty in some situations.

While a four-year suspension is possible, under the AFL’s anti-doping code, if the player can prove the violation was not intentional or there are other circumstances, the penalty could be reduced to as little as a month."

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Wait, why is this news? I assumed this would happen semi-regularly and the player would simply receive a strike.

If it’s game day they will probably get 12 months

 

[unplugged]

The fact that it says "Also, a suspension could be reduced to one month if the athlete completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by the AFL" makes me think it's probably an A grade player.

 

[M_I_G]

Would make sense given his absence from the team.

Was genuinely my first guess

 

[canny30]

Wait, why is this news? I assumed this would happen semi-regularly and the player would simply receive a strike.

It was a test after a game which means it's a WADA test for PEDs and cocaine is considered a PED.

Its not an AFLPA test which is conducted as a welfare thing.

Whoever it is will be banned for a long time

Edit: I think, lol

 

[420]

The fact that it says "Also, a suspension could be reduced to one month if the athlete completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by the AFL" makes me think it's probably an A grade player.

Or a player with no existing strikes or reports for drug use

 

[StickerMan]

The fact that it says "Also, a suspension could be reduced to one month if the athlete completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by the AFL" makes me think it's probably an A grade player.

Is this the same for WADA testing, or AFL's 'testing' processes?

 

[hawker19]

The player is Joel Smith from Melbourne

 

[BomberManU]

Or a player with no existing strikes or reports for drug use

It's performance enhancing, so I don't think 'strikes' come into it.

 

[StickerMan]

The player is Joel Smith from Melbourne

Can't see the article, but seems that it is correct:

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/afl-drug-bombshell-player-from-melbournebased-finals-team-returns-positive-test/news-story/37c4ce9507ea1330287dd72011cb2a59

 

[Bald]

Yeah Joel Smith. What a plot twist.

 

[Kings of Lygon]

Joel Smith is a nobody, so expect the harshest punishment possible...

 

[jenny61_99]

Is this the same for WADA testing, or AFL's 'testing' processes?

S6 All stimulants, including all optical isomers, e.g. d- and l- where relevant, are prohibited. A stimulant not expressly listed in this section is a Specified Substance. PROHIBITED IN-COMPETITION All prohibited substances in this class are Specified Substances except those in S6.A, which are non-Specified Substances. Substances of Abuse in this section: cocaine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA / “ecstasy”)