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.

 

[3207]

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

Decriminalised, then. As it is in Portugal for example

 

[Redline]

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

It's why so many struggle once off a list. All of sudden people don't drop everything to help you, you don't get invited to things you used to and people stop doing things for free.

 

[ThirtyFive]

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.

I’ve got 25 year olds in my club who are still on their parent’s Medicare card and asking them to go onto their myGov account and source Medicare statements provokes a “are you from Mars…..?” response

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

I’ve got 25 year olds in my club who are still on their parent’s Medicare card and asking them to go into their myGov account and source Medicare statements provokes a “are you from Mars…..?” response

Exactly. I don't know why people think 'any' of this is specifically an AFL issue, lol.

 

[Scritchyscroony]

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.

So he won't be moving into Max Gawn's place then?
How will he ever get better?

 

[branedotorg]

Post-EFC it's pretty clear what the expectations are, and AFAIK clubs have clear education about this stuff.

Don't do party drugs on or immediately before match-day is pretty straightforward. Willie Rioli got done for it prior to Smith, so it's not the first time this has happened either.

Off season? Go wild.

a proportion of the population either doesn't think about risk or dissociate themselves from risk or are too dumb to realise that there is risk in any situation, footballers are no different, if anything probably over represented because of how the public perceives talent.

there's a s**t load of mandatory induction and education from media training to gambling awareness to drug awareness delivered by the league and AFLPA

 

[branedotorg]

SIA is also a statutory body enshrined in law.

yep, here is the law Federal Register of Legislation - Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020

 

[DragoDelph]

Need to get these players hooked on MtG or warhammer.

They’ll have no money left for anything else

 

[Zen242]

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.

Since neither meth or cocaine are legal in San Fran the users take more accessable drugs with far worse health consequences and societal costs (tranq and Fentanyl). Prohibition has unintended consequences.
But Portugal no San fran would be the example.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Rumors of Goodwin about to be implicated in the Smith texts.

Edit: someone on our board said they have it on good authority.

 

[Scritchyscroony]

Rumors of Goodwin about to be implicated in the Smith texts.

Thats good enough for me.

Confirmed Meth head.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Rumors of Goodwin about to be implicated in the Smith texts.

Edit: someone on our board said they have it on good authority.

This would explain the real reason Goodwin was so angry when Joel got caught & refused to call him..

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Horrific isn't it? Have you watched Painkiller?

No. Is it the same sort of thing?

 

[memoryofmchale]

Rumors of Goodwin about to be implicated in the Smith texts.

Edit: someone on our board said they have it on good authority.

His track record of inappropriate conduct around players (think there was something with gambling) should come up IF true. As a coach, he has now had two players implicated with drug usage. Far from the only club to be implicated by this but the one in the spotlight. Irrespective of involvement in texts, there should be pressure on him.

 

[bobs head soup]

Rumors of Goodwin about to be implicated in the Smith texts.

Edit: someone on our board said they have it on good authority.

Pretty mind blowing if it can be shown that a senior coach would be dumb enough to buy drugs off one of his own players. That'll blow the club up if true.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

No. Is it the same sort of thing?

It is different. Painkiller is more about the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Pretty mind blowing if it can be shown that a senior coach would be dumb enough to buy drugs off one of his own players. That'll blow the club up if true.

Yeah, if the rumor is true it will be the end of him.

 

[branedotorg]

Yeah, if the rumor is true it will be the end of him.

There's been similar stuff about him gambling, drinking and other stuff with the players, including quite young players for some time.

Winning a premiership bought him a lot of protection but imo being caught doing PEDs as coach should have been enough, but not in the AFL good bloke world

 

[pendlebury_10]

As a coach, he has now had two players implicated with drug usage.

Shocked to be sitting here. If you probed deeply enough into any club, you would easily find this information.

The sheer naivety of what typical Australian 18 - 35 year old males get up to is baffling, I'm not sure why elite athletes should be completely immune from the rest of society. If anything, they have greater access to huge amounts of excess cash and unlimited spare time in comparison to your average joe who works 9-5 and is trying to make ends meet. The skin fold issues associated with alcohol consumption also act as a strong deterrent for heavily scrutinised footballers.

 

[ThirtyFive]

Yeah, if the rumor is true it will be the end of him.

If correct, then how long before Pert falls on his sword? Bet it won’t come with an apology to the former Doctor or President. At least Robson had the decency to see the writing on the wall.

 

[The Gulden Child]

Quantity is the difference.

Quantity is one thing. It generally requires a commercial component as well. Examples like picking it up regularly for others, transporting it, monetary gain & how much money made etc. If its just team mates (as I suspect) it will be more selling/distribution at a lower level.

Trafficking is potential jail time.

 

[LanceRomance]

If correct, then how long before Pert falls on his sword? Bet it won’t come with an apology to the former Doctor or President. At least Robson had the decency to see the writing on the wall.

Pert is part of the boys club I think. I suspect he'll be fine. More likely other people will take the fall if it's required.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Quantity is one thing. It generally requires a commercial component as well. Examples like picking it up regularly for others, transporting it, monetary gain & how much money made etc. If its just team mates (as I suspect) it will be more selling/distribution at a lower level.

Trafficking is potential jail time.

The police aren't involved and likely won't be.

This is between Joel & Sports Integrity.

 

[DragoDelph]

The police aren't involved and likely won't be.

This is between Joel & Sports Integrity.

Gawn adamant Demons don't have a 'drug culture' following Smith allegations

Melbourne captain Max Gawn denies drug use is systemic at the club following the revelation teammate Joel Smith is facing anti-doping rule violations from Sport Integrity Australia.

www.abc.net.au

Victoria Police also acknowledged the allegations.

"Victoria Police is aware of a number of allegations of drug trafficking in relation to a 27-year-old Hillside man," police said in a statement.

"We are currently assessing information provided by Sport Integrity Australia and as such it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Gawn adamant Demons don't have a 'drug culture' following Smith allegations

Melbourne captain Max Gawn denies drug use is systemic at the club following the revelation teammate Joel Smith is facing anti-doping rule violations from Sport Integrity Australia.

www.abc.net.au

I guess they would be obligated to look at it.

But as all lawyers who have spoken on this since the story broke, the burden of proof for police to lay any charges is much higher than any sanctions Sports Integrity may lay against Smith. Particularly if it's isolated to occasionally selling small quantities to a few mates.

Of course it depends on how involved Smith actually is in selling drugs & perhaps more about who he is involved with .. was it to a few mates? Or is he much more involved? That's what I'd imagine they would be looking at.