Rumour AFL Players Faking Mental Illnesses To Avoid Drug Tests?

[kaiserchief13]

Yes, it does make you wonder if Nick coming out and making his comments yesterday was in response to hearing about an incident at a club he knows well leading to a player needing to have a break from the club to deal with a "mental illness" announced today. Alternatively, it was just a very interesting coincidental timing...

You would assume this is accurate

 

[Unique Name]

Pretty sad now that every time a player does take time off for legit mental health reasons, the public will assume they have a drug issue.

It is terrible.

But isn't that what these ex-afl players turned commentators are saying is happening? Players are taking advantage. Wouldn't they know more than most?

For what it's worth I don't think any one club can be singled out. This is an AFL wide problem not a club problem.

Young guys making lots of money, etc, etc. AFL's needs to tighten it's drug policy.

 

[PAFC27]

Hope Jack Steven is okay if it is serious.

That being said, he's already had a strike for blowing 0.8 after a game in 2012. Let's see if this break from the game is for 4 weeks, or rather, the length of suspension for a 2nd strike

 

[Strahany]

The difficult thing with this topic is that poorly managed drug use is, itself, a mental health issue.

If a player without a problematic pattern of drug use got caught and is using it to avoid the scrutiny associated with time away from the club, then that’s poor form.
But for others, it’s an extremely accurate description of their situation.

 

[tony__montana]

So he threw an ex-teammate under the bus ?.

He is certainly taking this "journalistic integrity" thing to extremes.

Or perhaps he's seeing a toxic culture he doesnt like and thinks this is the best way to nip it in the bud?

 

[Lord_Travis]

Steven was spotted out one night in January popping some 'mental health'. Same as Cripps spotted snorting some 'mental health' last year.

Seems Reiwoldt has witnessed stuff he doesn't like and this is his way of trying to make positive change.

 

[spenze]

Hope Jack Steven is okay if it is serious.

That being said, he's already had a strike for blowing 0.8 after a game in 2012. Let's see if this break from the game is for 4 weeks, or rather, the length of suspension for a 2nd strike

That's a fair effort given you would think he'd have sweated a lot of the alcohol out in the match, must have been munted when he turned up to play

 

[PAFC27]

That's a fair effort given you would think he'd have sweated a lot of the alcohol out in the match, must have been munted when he turned up to play

It was the next morning.

 

[lewdogs]

Hope Jack Steven is okay if it is serious.

That being said, he's already had a strike for blowing 0.8 after a game in 2012. Let's see if this break from the game is for 4 weeks, or rather, the length of suspension for a 2nd strike

Hang on so because he blew over the limit 7 years ago it's obvious that he's taking a break for drugs now?

Moronic logic.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Hope Jack Steven is okay if it is serious.

That being said, he's already had a strike for blowing 0.8 after a game in 2012. Let's see if this break from the game is for 4 weeks, or rather, the length of suspension for a 2nd strike

0.8?

He'd be ******* dead.

I'm thinking you mean 0.08.

 

[Aussie in exile]

It also makes a mockery of those players who are genuinely struggling with mental health issues.

Every time a player takes time off they will be put under a cloud due to those abusing the system.

It also makes a mockery of those players who are genuinely struggling with mental health issues.

Every time a player takes time off they will be put under a cloud due to those abusing the system.

I think we all have to agree that when 16 players from one club claim mental health issues that is pushing things.

 

[PAFC27]

Hang on so because he blew over the limit 7 years ago it's obvious that he's taking a break for drugs now?

Moronic logic.

Whoosh right over your head. The irony

 

[Aussie in exile]

It is terrible.

But isn't that what these ex-afl players turned commentators are saying is happening? Players are taking advantage. Wouldn't they know more than most?

For what it's worth I don't think any one club can be singled out. This is an AFL wide problem not a club problem.

Young guys making lots of money, etc, etc. AFL's needs to tighten it's drug policy.

In my opinion the AFL has turned a blind eye to drugs issues in the game for years as long as it didn't come out in the open and damage the AFL brand.
We have known for years that any hint of a scandal and the AFL brought in the tried and tested broom, sweep and rug policy, but with social media being what it is they wont get away with that much nowadays.

 

[GreyCrow]

Hope Jack Steven is okay if it is serious.

That being said, he's already had a strike for blowing 0.8 after a game in 2012. Let's see if this break from the game is for 4 weeks, or rather, the length of suspension for a 2nd strike

That's a fair effort given you would think he'd have sweated a lot of the alcohol out in the match, must have been munted when he turned up to play

It was the next morning.

I'm a little confused and I think others are

1. You get a strike for alcohol use?

2. He blew .08 ''the next morning'' - footballer drinks after a game. Stop the press

Can you clarify how he got a strike and what for

 

[1970crow]

Pretty sad now that every time a player does take time off for legit mental health reasons, the public will assume they have a drug issue.

And the public will likely be right more often than not.

 

[PAFC27]

I'm a little confused and I think others are

1. You get a strike for alcohol use?

2. He blew .08 ''the next morning'' - footballer drinks after a game. Stop the press

Can you clarify how he got a strike and what for

1. You get a strike when you get caught driving under the influence.

2. He blew 0.08, my bad for the typo. Losing his license for 6 months would've been though.

It was a night game and he was driving to training/recovery the next morning

 

[GreyCrow]

1. You get a strike when you get caught driving under the influence.

2. He blew 0.08, my bad for the typo. Losing his license for 6 months would've been though.

It was a night game and he was driving to training/recovery the next morning

Thanks

On the 2nd bit , again, I wonder if that is a common occurrence? Players drink after the game.

 

[StCicatriz]

Yes, it does make you wonder if Nick coming out and making his comments yesterday was in response to hearing about an incident at a club he knows well leading to a player needing to have a break from the club to deal with a "mental illness" announced today. Alternatively, it was just a very interesting coincidental timing...

Got the specific quote for that? I didn't think he said anything like that did he?

 

[yaco55]

That was my point. At present, they can't. But, under the new integrity legislation there would be nothing to stop them from finding out who had returned + cocaine/meth tests under the guise of integrity investigations and then subjecting the player to in-competition testing.

You miss the point - Parts of the AFL's illicit drug policy is voluntary - There is no way that players will continue this if the information can be given to ASADA - And it is no business of ASADA because the WADA Code allows the use of illicit substances out of competition - ASADA through the WADA code already conducts in-competition testing and targeted testing of athletes.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Simple fact is the AFL is much more comfortable with fake claims of mental illness than having to deal with players getting done for illicit drugs.

That’s because us consumers are more comfortable with players claiming mental illness thsn we are with players getting done for illicit drugs.

Us consumers aren’t comfortable with lying, deceit or fraud either ... if the AFL are complicit in that then people need to lose their jobs.

When the number of players in the same team hit 5 they should have investigated. When it hit 10 they should have demanded answers. At 16 why not just allow every player in the league to claim it and then quietly shut down the entire testing programme (which is what the AFL and AFLPA would much prefer).

I wouldn’t be surprised if for any normal workplace, if a third of the workforce were claiming to suffer mental illness, then Workcover would get involved and make management accountable and potentially get a court order to shut the workplace down.

Maybe that’s what needs to happen for the AFL to take the issue seriously?

Its so much easier to ignore problems than have the public find out.

That’s if they get away with it. Any attempt to cover-up usually makes things worse.

 

[Farang83150]

Amazed to have not seen Franklin mentioned in the first 6 posts let alone first 6 pages.

It has, Post #33.

 

[The Dice Man]

Im shocked that its only AFL players under the spotlight. What about entertainers(which is what they really are), journalists, politicians, plumbers?

I really dont see the point singling out footballers for rec drug use. Anyone under the age of 50 would expect it to be common.

 

[jenny61_99]

Pretty sad now that every time a player does take time off for legit mental health reasons, the public will assume they have a drug issue.

They can blame their mates for that.

 

[PHX]

Im shocked that its only AFL players under the spotlight. What about entertainers(which is what they really are), journalists, politicians, plumbers?

I really dont see the point singling out footballers for rec drug use. Anyone under the age of 50 would expect it to be common.

Because a standard testing regime is part of their profession and there is a global policy for professional sport.

Entertainers, Journos and politicians don't have that same microscope because there isn't the ASADA / WADA scrutiny. The media love it when they can find a Grant Denyer, Andrew O'Keefe style story but they're only subject to an internal company policy to deal with.

Your idealism is fair but the world isn't fair so professional sports people need to deal with that.

 

[FRUMPY]

St Kilda player on mental health after reiwoldt comes out yesterday.

Monkey see, monkey do.......

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