News Clubs operating league-sanctioned drug testing program - Harley Balic’s Dad Speaks

[Chief]

AFL Statement

As well as being a signatory to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code via the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code, the AFL has an Illicit Drug Policy which has been in place since 2005, and at the core of the policy is a commitment to player wellbeing and welfare.

The AFL Illicit Drug Policy (IDP) is a policy that specifically deals with the use of illicit substances out of competition and is focussed on player health and well-being. The policy seeks to reduce substance use and drug-related harms for AFL players and aims to inform and rehabilitate players through education and intervention.

It exists alongside and in addition to the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code which covers prohibited substances including some illicit substances in competition as prescribed by the WADA prohibited list.

Urine tests conducted by doctors to determine if a player has used illicit substances are part of the AFL’s Illicit Drug Policy medical model and have been for some time.

Doctors may use those urine tests to obtain an immediate result to determine whether any illicit substance remains in a player’s system. This is normally conducted at the club or in the doctors consulting rooms.

If the test shows a substance is still in the players system, a doctor will take steps to prevent a player from taking part in either training and/or an AFL match both for their own health and welfare and because having illicit substances in your system on match day may be deemed performance enhancing and a breach of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (depending on the substance involved).

It is absolutely imperative that no doctor or club official should ever allow or encourage a player to take the field knowing they have recently taken an illicit substance that may be harmful to their health and/or may be deemed performance-enhancing (as many illicit substances are on match day).

We support the WADA code (as it applies to our sport through the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code) and support the fundamental premise on which it is founded that any player who takes the field with a performance-enhancing prohibited substance in their system should be treated in accordance with the Anti-Doping Code and face heavy sanctions.

The AFL observes that AFL players are not immune to the societal issues faced by young people with respect to illicit substances and also acknowledges that illicit drug use problems commonly co-occur with other mental health conditions.

While the AFL’s medical model involves a multidisciplinary healthcare management plan, the monitoring of players is highly confidential. A doctor or healthcare professional generally cannot disclose the nature of the clinical intervention or condition to others unless the player willingly consents.

We understand that the Illicit Drugs Policy can be improved and we are working with the AFLPA and players to improve the policy and the system to ensure we are better able to change the behaviours of players. But we are unapologetic about club and AFL doctors taking the correct steps to ensure that any player who they believe has an illicit substance in their system does not take part in any AFL match and that doctor patient confidentially is upheld and respected.

The AFL will always be required to make decisions which seek to balance competing rights and interests. The medical interests and welfare of players is a priority for the AFL given everything we know about the risks facing young people generally and those who play our game in particular.

 

[Carn The Berries]

Except the club doctor and his president aren't saying that. If Wilkie's speech is true, they are saying the AFL was coordinating the process and were warned by Bartlett that this was misconduct to circumvent the world code

I rise to bring the house’s attention deeply troubling allegations of egregious misconduct within the AFL provided by former Melbourne football club president Glen Bartlett, former Melbourne football club doctor ZeeshanArain and Shaun Smith, father of Melbourne player and now alleged drug trafficker Joel Smith.

The allegations include the prevalence of drug abuse and other prohibited behaviour across the AFL, off the books drug-testingof players at Dorevitch Pathology in Heidelberg, facilitated by the former chief medical officer of the AFL Peter Harcourt, the resting of players testing positive in these secret tests, ostensibly on account of injury, wilful inaction by AFL chairman Richard Goyder, and former CEO Gill McLachlan

Here are very detailed notes of a telephone meeting between Gill McLachlan, Richard Goyder and Glen Bartlett

Why table them in parliament you f***ing coward? Not the first, and won't be the last, he's used Parliamentary privilege like this. Come out and say it in public you bloody cretin.

 

[MPMonkeys]

Don’t think it’s necessarily about the clubs
It’s about the league and the farce that is its illicit drugs policy

I'm not sure what the solution is.
Do we ban all private tests if you are an AFL listed player?

 

[memoryofmchale]

Would be interesting to know if behind closed doors they try and get these players help if it appears they have a problem. I'm guessing Joel Smith might start talking a bit now?

Joel Smith has a way to try and shift attention from himself. So he’ll likely speak. Might provide details to WADA in exchange for leniency.

 

[memoryofmchale]

Why table them in parliament you f***ing coward? Not the first, and won't be the last, he's used Parliamentary privilege like this. Come out and say it in public you bloody cretin.

AFL can sue him if in public or use threatening language like they have to other media people. That’s why he’s used privilege.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Doctor with a grudge, Ex Pres with an axe to grind and a disgruntled father enlist an AFL stadium hating pollie to spout rubbish under parlimentary privilege. Sounds like sour grapes to me. Still where there's smoke....

You've nailed it. And a pollie who doesn't understand the AFL's illicit drug policy.

 

[Tonythetiger]

Unfortunately the source and production cannot be ethically, morally or mentally separated, like some high school hypothetical exercise. The ‘karma’ associated with its consumption is huge with real life challenges for the poor people caught up in its production and trafficking. If you have any thoughts for your fellow human beings stay away from anything like this. Grow your own if you must partake.

I respect your position on this. The only counter argument I was making is that it is conceivable a person is able to separate this in their own mind, not that the two issues themselves are separate. When all drugs are illegal and you are committing a crime that you yourself turn a blind eye to, it's easy to see how all drugs are kind of lumped together and the person decides to partake and accept the act of taking the drug rather than the greater act of willfully supporting a large machine that creates all kind of suffering.

I think the discussion needs to move towards a greater education of the pain that is caused by fueling the demand for cocaine especially. It seems to me the AFL have taken a position of player welfare over the fact that global consumption of cocaine is what continues to give these cartels power. Which I would say has subjective morality.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Does anyone doubt that match fixing isn’t on the cards as well?

Is that how Richmond won 3 flags?

 

[Not a mere cat]

Also should spell the end of the cult of Gil and reveal him for the shite stain he was/is.

Smarmy prick. Every interview was him smirking and dismissing every scandal with a nod and a wink. Surely most people saw that??? Sure the football media never called him out but we know they can’t or they lose their accreditation

 

[Carn The Berries]

AFL can sue him if in public or use threatening language like they have to other media people. That’s why he’s used privilege.

I'm well aware of why he used it (as he has done several times in the past). It's a loophole that allows him to sling mud with absolute impunity. If these documents are so damaging just release them to the public, they don't need to be tabled in parliament.

 

[faible]

Funny how some people are getting more angry about the messenger and the use of Parliamentary privilege than they are the actual allegations.

 

[memoryofmchale]

They'll treat it as a health issue. Do you want players playing on the weekend who are potentially impaired by drug use? Do you think the players are happy to miss games/match payments?

1) No.

2) I don’t think match payments are going through their heads when they have a little nasal exercise at a nightclub during the week. Some would be pleased to miss a week and still be paid well, others would take a game off over being caught by WADA. You might get some who are annoyed but the alternative is far more annoying and upsetting.

 

[Tjblues]

They’d still be a bit annoyed that a league is trying to avoid their tests and cocaine is banned on match days. The speech implies they’d rest plays who’d otherwise test positive and that would cheese them off given the relationship WADA and the AFL has.

No they wouldn’t.

From WADA’s perspective it’s literally the afl stopping players from cheating.

Cocaine is banned “in competition”. The “in competition” period lasts from 11:59 the night before a game to whenever they have finished conducting their random tests post game.

Your suggestion that WADA would be upset would be akin to the police being upset at a speed limit sign reminding a car to slow down before they could be pulled over.

If this extends further, to other PEDs, then there would be an issue. At this stage it is a moral issue only

 

[memoryofmchale]

Doctor with a grudge, Ex Pres with an axe to grind and a disgruntled father enlist an AFL stadium hating pollie to spout rubbish under parlimentary privilege. Sounds like sour grapes to me. Still where there's smoke....

AFL came out and said it’s true this morning. So …

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

I'm not sure what Mr Wilkie is expecting the clubs to do.
Make private tests public and/or deliberately play players knowing any game day tests could result in a suspension of two to four years.

I think he would say to just ban players for failing drug tests like the laws of the game say would be a good start

 

[Muddiemoose]

I'm not sure what the solution is.
Do we ban all private tests if you are an AFL listed player?

No but the AFL having policy that advises players to do them in order to avoid gameday testing from official sporting bodies and lieing to doctors to get out of playing is pretty problematic, especially if the afl are not following through on applying strikes to the players who are testing positive under its own illicit drug policy

It literally questions the integrity of the league and the competition

 

[Hoops]

I honestly don't see the big deal

 

[3207]

Imagine a player was out this week and the reason was 'Partying'

Imagine the gobful from the fans the next week;

“WEAK AS PI55 SMITH. BACK IN MY DAY WE’D HIT REVS UNTIL 10AM AND STILL TURN UP TO PLAY DIV 3 RESSIE’S AT 11:00.
COUPLA LINES ON A TUESDAY AND YA TAKE SUNDAY OFF? WEAK!”

 

[Hawk88]

Do we actually care if players are using illicit drugs outside game day?

More people then you know do cocaine and other illicit drugs throughout their daily lives and live "normal" lives. Granted there are many who have issues but this is a reflection on society not simply AFL players

Why do AFL players have to live up to higher standards outside game day then normal Australians? Just because they get paid more? Rubbish

Do all other codes test for iilicit drugs outside game days?

 

[Osho]

I cbf going back through the previous posts, but wouldn't the suggestion be that WADA don't care as we're talking about party drugs as opposed to performance-enhancing drugs? Of course WAD don't simply rely on detecting prohibited substances in the system. The question is whether they care about these particular substances.

Wada does care about woo woo "in competition".

https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/what-we-do/anti-doping/prohibited-substances-and-methods/cocaine-use-sport#:~:text=Cocaine%20and%20sport-,Classified%20by%20the%20World%20Anti%2DDoping%20Agency%20(WADA)%20as,use%20%27In%2DCompetition%27.

I'd be unsurprised a club or two would resort to pre-testing to hide players' breaching the code. After all, we know club(s) have systematically doped in the past, and hidden players from testing. It may even be explained away, self justified, in some contorted manner, under the confidential part of the AFL's drug policy, three strikes etc. I'd love to see this explanation!

But AFL involvement in covert pre-testing, and misinformation on player drug status would be a nuclear explosion. I can't imagine the AFL would be so foolish. Sure they can do dastardly things (gambling ads, pokies), but systematically covering up drug use seems mad.*

It is much more likely a lone gunman. If this story develops, don't be surprised if one is offered up for our consumption.

*Though I am reminded of that warning call between Demetriou and EFC, and the loud noise of shredding that followed.

 

[hoianbulldog]

I've heard the AFL contacted Vlad this morning to see if he is interested in some part time work......cash of course.

 

[DragoDelph]

No they wouldn’t.

From WADA’s perspective it’s literally the afl stopping players from cheating.

Cocaine is banned “in competition”. The “in competition” period lasts from 11:59 the night before a game to whenever they have finished conducting their random tests post game.

Your suggestion that WADA would be upset would be akin to the police being upset at a speed limit sign reminding a car to slow down before they could be pulled over.

If this extends further, to other PEDs, then there would be an issue. At this stage it is a moral issue only

See, I would have thought that in competition related to the entire period that players are at the club, preparing for games, not just the game.

Preseason, training, etc aside from mandated time off (byes, Xmas, post season)

That’s a hell of an opening they’ve left open.

 

[DragoDelph]

Do we actually care if players are using illicit drugs outside game day?

More people then you know do cocaine and other illicit drugs throughout their daily lives and live "normal" lives. Granted there are many who have issues but this is a reflection on society not simply AFL players

Why do AFL players have to live up to higher standards outside game day then normal Australians? Just because they get paid more? Rubbish

Do all other codes test for iilicit drugs outside game days?

Plenty of normal Australians have higher standards to adhere to and actual consequences for their drug use.

The fact these players get away Scott free in season, still get paid, and are encouraged to self report to avoid any meaningful infractions is a farce.

 

[marcmurphy3]

Playing devils advocate here but isn't this pretty close to what we already know of the afls illicit drug policy.

• player self reports
• player gets a strike
• afl tests to see if drug is still in the system
• If yes player misses game for personal reasons
• whole thing stays confidential

The way it was articulated in parliament doesn't sound great but the only news is the testing and withdrawal from games which is common sense if you think of it.

If a player comes forward as having taken a drug that wada deems performance enhancing, wouldn't both player and club want it gone from his system before he plays? Not just from a covering point of view but from a fairness point of view.

It's stated that the afl is helping players get away with it. Not true. If they are getting a strike they are already being punished under the afls illicit drugs policy (whether you argue it is to soft is another matter).

 

[Gough]

So many drugs policies are based around early century attitudes towards drugs that they're a bit out of step with the community now. Obviously we don't want players abusing drugs but this seems like a tacit acceptance from the AFL that among young men with disposal income coke is going to be an issue and there's nothing they can do about it and by doing this they can better identify and protect players with a real problem. Maybe I'm giving them too much credit and this is just protect that product at all costs, either way betting regulators might invite themselves along to ask a few questions.

 

[bates121]

Do we actually care if players are using illicit drugs outside game day?

More people then you know do cocaine and other illicit drugs throughout their daily lives and live "normal" lives. Granted there are many who have issues but this is a reflection on society not simply AFL players

Why do AFL players have to live up to higher standards outside game day then normal Australians? Just because they get paid more? Rubbish

Do all other codes test for iilicit drugs outside game days?

Personally no. But how many players do you think would have been caught on game day testing and suspended over the years?
All the AFL has done is create a system so that no player should get caught by game day testing because they can be tested beforehand and removed from the game.
The illicit drug testing outside of games at that the AfL may sound bad but it actually saves the players.
Of course there will always be a select few who still find ways to get into trouble by getting caught red handed with drugs.