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.

 

[memoryofmchale]

At 18 most come from school so don't know how good they've got it. Increase draft age to 21 and you'd see a big difference Imo

I think players need at least a year out to develop life skills. Would sort a few out. Some are not ready for professional sport. It’s ridiculous that 18 months out of high school can be considered a “mature-aged recruit”.

Brandon Jack writes a lot about the drinking and drugs in his book. Shocked me. When players aren’t training, some don’t do much or don’t really care. They don’t need to study, work, etc or can take it slowly. So what they end up doing is looking for a fix someway. It might be fun and games temporarily until you end up blowing everything.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

I don't understand how you do drugs with fellow employees.
I would be worried of getting caught , or dobbed in by someone else and lose my job and not be able to get as good a job again.

You've never worked as a line cook in a busy restaurant I take it.

 

[PieBeast]

Pretty wild to think we managed to win a flag with Pablo Escobar on a list headed by King of Peptides Simon Goodwin.
Top 4 home and away season for the best part of three years in a row. Incredible really, what a team.

Pains me to say this but you're actually much much better than that, if you take corrected scores into account.

 

[RAPPA]

Tip of the icebag..

EFA

 

[Dazb86]

What I dont get is - How all these players seriously think its worth the risk?

Here you are, 18 yrs old and getting a chance to live your dreams. to get paid a squillion dollars to play the game you love, and not have to get a job or do anything else in order to pay your way .... all you have to do is not do drugs during the season!!!! You can have a bit of fun in the off season if thats your thing, but Feb - September you just need to behave

How f***ing hard is it?

These guys are babied and made to feel special from the moment they walk through the door.

 

[memoryofmchale]

These guys are babied and made to feel special from the moment they walk through the door.

They have a lot provided for them. They don’t pay rent - the club usually puts them up. Even in their share houses, the club is usually the one shouting them until a few years into their AFL career. Unlimited support, too.

Life of a rookie 18 year old player is easy. Know a few kids who got big heads from it. If they came from the country or regional area, some went back home, hailed a king and given free rein. Some of the ones I knew were already like that, though given they were supposed to be the next (insert name). So giving them money, time, attention, etc … no surprise is goes wrong.

 

[Dazb86]

They have a lot provided for them. They don’t pay rent - the club usually puts them up. Even in their share houses, the club is usually the one shouting them until a few years into their AFL career. Unlimited support, too.

Life of a rookie 18 year old player is easy. Know a few kids who got big heads from it. If they came from the country or regional area, some went back home, hailed a king and given free rein. Some of the ones I knew were already like that, though given they were supposed to be the next (insert name). So giving them money, time, attention, etc … no surprise is goes wrong.

Yeah they give players cooking classes etc and have their whole weeks planned out for them. It's all pretty odd, bit like an extension of high school.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Yeah they give players cooking classes etc and have their whole weeks planned out for them. It's all pretty odd, bit like an extension of high school.

You're entrusting the league to look after your son straight out of school who has never left home before. Away from family, friends & sometimes out of the state.

I don't see what's wrong with helping them to learn to live independently. Why not help set them up for success. These boys can just as easily get access to drugs at school, in their community, at their local footy club or from the tradies they work with.

Teaching them how to cook or learn routines is not the problem, lol.

 

[Mofra]

Yeah they give players cooking classes etc and have their whole weeks planned out for them. It's all pretty odd, bit like an extension of high school.

I know people who had players stay with them - the first pre-season was pretty taxing (in the days of 'everyone does everything' rather than individual programs like the modern era).

The draftees would pretty much just eat and sleep, they were too stuffed to do anything else for the first few months. Certainly during pre-season. The food bill was enormous!

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

I know people who had players stay with them - the first pre-season was pretty taxing (in the days of 'everyone does everything' rather than individual programs like the modern era).

The draftees would pretty much just eat and sleep, they were too stuffed to do anything else for the first few months. Certainly during pre-season. The food bill was enormous!

And some on here seemed to have missed the obvious...Joel Smith does not fit into this category. He's a 27 year married man. Not a naive 18 year old straight out of school.

 

[Mofra]

And some on here seemed to have missed the obvious...Joel Smith does not fit into this category. He's a 27 year married man. Not a naive 18 year old straight out of school.

He's also a FS so you'd hope he had the system worked out pretty quickly.

But then again, if you're buying gear for your mates and don't even delete the messages.... he's probably not planning on a CSIRO internship post football.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

He's also a FS so you'd hope he had the system worked out pretty quickly.

But then again, if you're buying gear for your mates and don't even delete the messages.... he's probably not planning on a CSIRO internship post football.

He's a dkhd. There are plenty of those around. Footballer or non footballer.

Most people buying gear for their mates wouldn't think their phone is going to be confiscated by Sports Integrity, lol.

It's likely not enough for the police to even bother paying any interest.

 

[Thomasno]

I put this up on the Melbourne board, this sort of situation was talked about in the lead-up to the legislation being implemented, and was seen by several legal groups and sporting unions as an erosion of athletes individual and human rights. There are substantive legal minds who think the High Court could strike out much of the SIA legislation if it were to be challenged.

I'm not sure if Smith volunteered his phone texts or other information, or if it was compelled via the forced answering of questions that Sport Integrity Australia have, but I'm sure the AFLPA will be looking at this closely, especially since they are going from a match day breach, to accusations of trafficking supposedly based on text messages.

ASADA set to be granted new powers in move feared to threaten athletes' rights

Australia's anti-doping body ASADA is set to receive injection of power and authority, but critics say the planned changes risk athletes' already eroded rights.

www.abc.net.au

The right to silence under threat in name of integrity

The cautionary tale of Ernesto Miranda shows why athletes and others should be concerned about new powers that have been been recommended for ASADA.

www.smh.com.au

When you don't have the right to remain silent

Draft federal legislation relating to sport's doping, currently meandering its way through the Senate, is mightily troubling for individual rights.

www.smh.com.au

“Oh no, my legal rights to do and sell illegal drugs in secret are being eroded”

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

At 18 most come from school so don't know how good they've got it. Increase draft age to 21 and you'd see a big difference Imo

Joel Smith is a 27 year old married man.

 

[Thomasno]

Because in 20 years time they will be legal

Coke will never be legal lol

Weed yes, but that’s about where it will stop for narcotics. Maybe other hallucinogens but unsure in our lifetimes; saying coke will be legal in 20 years is like saying meth will be legal in 20 years. Not happening lmao

 

[Head Selector]

You've never worked as a line cook in a busy restaurant I take it.

The kitchen requires good pep for great prep .

 

[memoryofmchale]

Yeah they give players cooking classes etc and have their whole weeks planned out for them. It's all pretty odd, bit like an extension of high school.

Some of them need that. You'd be surprised how dysfunctional some are when they move out or the life skills they lack. Plenty of other kids are in a similar position and at least activities like cooking classes are practical.

The best way to help control problem players is to keep them busy. I'm all for it if it keeps them out of trouble. Much better than the alternative.

At the same time, they've got to be promoting independence and how to make smart choices outside of structured events. As an AFL player, they'll always be a target for trouble.

 

[memoryofmchale]

Coke will never be legal lol

Weed yes, but that’s about where it will stop for narcotics. Maybe other hallucinogens but unsure in our lifetimes; saying coke will be legal in 20 years is like saying meth will be legal in 20 years. Not happening lmao

It hasn't worked well for San Francisco to allow every drug under the sun to be used without legal consequence. Harm reduction has not occurred with 2023 the deadliest year for ODs on record.

 

[memoryofmchale]

I know people who had players stay with them - the first pre-season was pretty taxing (in the days of 'everyone does everything' rather than individual programs like the modern era).

The draftees would pretty much just eat and sleep, they were too stuffed to do anything else for the first few months. Certainly during pre-season. The food bill was enormous!

They now slowly ramp it up. I know a few players who did their first pre-season this year. They say it's hard but a gradual introduction. Also allowed to travel home if injured or if they have time off.

To help with food costs, they often eat a minimum of two meals at the clubs and/or take home leftovers.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

It hasn't worked well for San Francisco to allow every drug under the sun to be used without legal consequence. Harm reduction has not occurred with 2023 the deadliest year for ODs on record.

Fentanyl is the biggest problem in SF, not legalised weed, lol.

San Francisco continues to grapple with a deadly drug overdose epidemic. The year 2023 has surpassed 2020 as the deadliest year on record for overdose deaths in San Francisco. In recent years, that epidemic has been driven largely by the proliferation of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. 14 Feb 2024

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

It hasn't worked well for San Francisco to allow every drug under the sun to be used without legal consequence. Harm reduction has not occurred with 2023 the deadliest year for ODs on record.

And it has worked in Portugal.

Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working. Why hasn’t the world copied it?

The long read: Since it decriminalised all drugs in 2001, Portugal has seen dramatic drops in overdoses, HIV infection and drug-related crime

www.theguardian.com

 

[memoryofmchale]

Fentanyl is the biggest problem in SF, not legalised weed, lol.

San Francisco continues to grapple with a deadly drug overdose epidemic. The year 2023 has surpassed 2020 as the deadliest year on record for overdose deaths in San Francisco. In recent years, that epidemic has been driven largely by the proliferation of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. 14 Feb 2024

I was referring to the cocaine legalisation part. Cocaine, meth, fentanyl will not become legal in Australia for a long time to come, probably never.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Just watching Dopesick, about the opioid OxyContin that the makers alleged was low risk for addiction

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

I was referring to the cocaine legalisation part. Cocaine, meth, fentanyl will not become legal in Australia for a long time to come, probably never.

Cocaine & meth is still illegal in SF.

Under California law, Health & Safety Code § 11350 provides for penalties for the possession of drugs, including: prescription drugs such Vicodin or Codeine or street drugs such as cocaine, GHB, ketamine, ecstasy, or heroin.

And fentanyl is not illegal there or here.

Fentanyl is a strong opioid medicine prescribed by doctors for severe pain.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Just watching Dopesick, about the opioid OxyContin that the makers alleged was low risk for addiction

Horrific isn't it? Have you watched Painkiller?