Hot Topic Off The Books Illicit Drug Test Claims in Bombshell AFL ‘Cover-Up’ - Injuries Faked To Evade Game Day Detection

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There is nothing new being reported.
Everyone knew what was occurring and how it worked.
I find it interesting how naive some supporters are with these things.
The AFL will do whatever it takes to protect their brand, incl. their key resources, in this case the players. They don’t want to lose their star acts!!!


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Fair enough - I was just basing that off a quote from Andrew Wilkie

"They are advised to lie about a condition while the results of the off-the-book tests are kept secret and are never shared with Sports Integrity Australia or WADA"


There’s lots in the article that appear true, the AFL in some articles today acknowledge the claims are true and are in line with the policy, but there’s a bit there that’s misleading.

All drug tests by the AFL are off record tests, the players have signed up to a policy voluntarily.

I have no idea what Wilkie is on about with the manipulation stuff and the betting stuff, in this instance the players are ensuring they don’t compromise the club, AFL and their career by playing with drugs in their system.
This prevents positive tests.

It’s not good optics and I agree with Wilkie about the huge drug problem in AFL and not just with players but then he wants this to go to the Prime minister.
 

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It looks pretty dodgy. They're deliberately avoiding these game day tests by faking injuries.

Hard not to lose faith in the injury report now. There's a few of our boys that are on the injury list quite frequently. You'd hope it's all above board but you have to wonder now.
They’re not avoiding game day tests, they’re avoiding playing with a banned (game day) substance in their system, ie they’re avoiding breaching the WADA doping rules
 
There is nothing new being reported.
Everyone knew what was occurring and how it worked.
I find it interesting how naive some supporters are with these things.
The AFL will do whatever it takes to protect their brand, incl. their key resources, in this case the players. They don’t want to lose their star acts!!!
The only new bit is that they were actually testing to check whether they were clear or not.

Players self-reporting use, and the doctors pulling them out of games isn’t new.
 
There are three parts to the accusations.

1) Quite simply Glenn Bartlett will do anything to hurt the Melbourne Football Club as a result of him getting tossed from the presidency and then not getting into the inner sanctum for the following years grand final win. He comes across as very bitter, he might have a bit of incriminating knowledge but has thrown so many hand grenades over the last 4 years that it's hard to believe that it is anything more than a personal vendetta.

2) Sean Smith is clearly trying to clear his sons name. Has been an overbearing parent for quite some time (posting on facebook 5 years ago about the club sending his son back on when injured). It's interesting the claims about other players who were already on cocaine being recruited - you can almost guarantee that some of these names were on Joel Smiths "cocaine connection" phone list. It sounds like a bit of a pre-emptive strike to try and muddy the water but lets face it Joels career is over.

3) Doctor Arain. Relieved of his duties at Melbourne in 2020. It appears a bit strange that his conscience has got the best of him 4 years down the track. Clearly there must be something to his claims. If I was Gil McLachlan, Richard Goyder or Peter Harcourt I would simply sue the doctor for defamation. Make him put up or shut up.

Andrew Wilkie is a man who courted the federal government for millions for a Tasmanian soccer club but has actively campaigned against the Tassie stadium. I am not 100% sure of his motives.

Very strange bedfellows a disgruntled ex president, a father who's son has been ruined by drug use and a doctor relieved of his duties 4 years ago who now feels that is important to right a wrong. To their credit they have caused seismic waves without many wanting to check why they have wanted to make them.
 
The size of the story/scandal will depend on how many/often tests were done, how systematic it was. If there were a bunch of players testing every week it will be a big deal. If it was occasional, it will be nothing.
 
There are three parts to the accusations.

1) Quite simply Glenn Bartlett will do anything to hurt the Melbourne Football Club as a result of him getting tossed from the presidency and then not getting into the inner sanctum for the following years grand final win. He comes across as very bitter, he might have a bit of incriminating knowledge but has thrown so many hand grenades over the last 4 years that it's hard to believe that it is anything more than a personal vendetta.
He is very bitter but it's been an open secret that his accusations are accurate and if anything only what he could substatiate, not the whole truth. The AFL and compliant media have been painting him as a kook to discredit him (sources: staff at melbourne, senior non afl journos and senior non football staff at other clubs).
 
They’re not avoiding game day tests, they’re avoiding playing with a banned (game day) substance in their system, ie they’re avoiding breaching the WADA doping rules
You don’t see that as a problem though?

The AFL is essentially enabling these habits. Players should be caught out if they’re using illicit drugs so closely to game day that it registers a positive result.
 
You don’t see that as a problem though?

The AFL is essentially enabling these habits. Players should be caught out if they’re using illicit drugs so closely to game day that it registers a positive result.
‘Caught out’ for what?

As to enabling, it will depend on how systematic the testing was.
 
‘Caught out’ for what?

As to enabling, it will depend on how systematic the testing was.
If they’ve got an illicit substance in their system on game day.

The AFL ‘protecting’ these players is not helping these players at all and in some cases, would be doing more damage than if they allowed them to be caught by WADA.
 

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If they’ve got an illicit substance in their system on game day.

The AFL ‘protecting’ these players is not helping these players at all and in some cases, would be doing more damage than if they allowed them to be caught by WADA.
Yeah I reckon Joel Smith is significantly worse off than his teammates
 
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If only someone could get a statement from senior military officer “General Soreness” I am sure he’d have something to say on the matter.

;) :think:


bagdad-bob.jpg
 
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Yeah I reckon Joel Smith is significantly worse off than his teammates





 
Well, if the ban ends his career then there’s not much of a reason to stop taking coke, is there?
Or alternatively, maybe the ban is the impetus to actually reform, get help (because his problem is no longer hidden) and get his life back on track?
I'm firmly in the camp that the AFL's policy regarding recreational use in the player ranks is flawed ... and I also have no doubt that interests beyond player welfare cloud their approach.
 
This is straight out of the NFL playbook (I worked there). We would have AFL delegations come over to see how we ran football operations and no doubt this type of thing was on the table. What normal folks consider "dark arts" are business as usual there when it comes to keeping young assets on the park.

I sleep much better since I left.
 

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