Mega Thread Hot Topic - Drugs and AFL

[Power Raid]

I returned to Adelaide a couple of weeks ago and spoke to a PAFC big footy member who is close to sport and we discussed drugs in sport and PAFC. His thoughts were very insightful.

Apparently he raised the issue of performance enhancing drugs at an official PAFC meeting but I'm not sure what his response was. I must admit his comments got me thinking, regarding performance enhancing drugs at PAFC (because we clearly aren't taken enough), but he had me thinking more about other team including the WCE.


Tonight, I had dinner with an ex-PAFC staff member who spoke about recreational drugs and PAFC. The comments and insights made my eyebrows raise, not because of any specific comments rather my last two discussions relating to PAFC was on the topic of drugs. Before I go on:
- yes, I have taken substances, yes I did inhale and yes I would probably do it again one day if it felt right (so I'm not judging anyone from a moral position)
- No I'm not interested in allegations, naming people or speculation; but I ask this simple question:


What would you do if you were the PAFC club president and you had knowledge (not just a feeling) that coaches, assistant coaches, ex-players hanging around the club and or current players were involved with drugs (performance or recreational)?

Again not suggesting this is an actual problem, nor do I think this is appropriate to talk about actual examples in this forum. I'm just interested to hear what peoples attitudes are to drugs and sport, especially if it involved our great club.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Performance enhancing drugs would be really really disappointing and i'd expect the club to support any ban put in place on our players by the anti-drug body.

Recreational drugs, provided they were relatively soft, wouldn't bother me nearly as much. However, like with alcohol, it's a preparation thing. Taking something during the season doesn't help you get the best out of yourself.

If I heard a few of our players had been smoking weed on an end of season trip I wouldn't bat an eyelid really. They are men in their 20s. I'd be annoyed with anything happening during the season though.

 

[RangaInTeal]

Lines of Cocaine at half time to have them all play like Gary Ablett Senior. I could handle that.

These kids give up their lively hood to do something we all love so dearly, they need to have some outlet, I could not care less if they were on anything, so long as their football was good enough to have us a top four side for a sustained period...

 

[Schulzenfest]

Performance enhancing drugs: Don't do them. Ever.
Recreational drugs: Don't get caught doing them.

As long as they're not going completely health/life-threateningly stupid with recreational drugs, it wouldn't bother me, but the perception is that they're role models (we can argue all we like about whether or not that's the reality, but it undeniably is the perception). Plus the media would have a field day. So if they're going to do that stuff, make damn sure it happens in the privacy of their own home.

FYI, I've seen a photo of a current player, former All-Australian (who I won't name) smoking weed. It definitely happens. I'd be surprised if there weren't at least a couple of our guys doing it.

 

[SwampRat]

Lines of Cocaine at half time to have them all play like Gary Ablett Senior. I could handle that.

These kids give up their lively hood to do something we all love so dearly, they need to have some outlet, I could not care less if they were on anything, so long as their football was good enough to have us a top four side for a sustained period...

Utterly horrible, reprehensible suggestion.



Cocaine is really expensive. There is no way we could afford that.

 

[Powerade 08]

err... have you had a look at the team down the road lately? Collingwood and Arizona? Professional sport = always finding new ways to push the limits = Performance enhancers are everywhere. Look at the top teams and all the mids are 90+kgs and can run a marathon.

Falloon preferred the Abswing and those belts for back pain (Someone on here did a quick google search and found out the belts were a big hoax, no joke). Hopefully our new guy is a little more clued in.

Recreational - Off season sure, as long as they don't go overboard. You'd like to think our club and other clubs would help their players if recreational drugs became a problem but I rekon most would just end up being de-listed because its easier that way.

 

[Malibu#27]

It seems like you're trying to say something without saying it?

 

[FishingRick04]

My stance is no different to the issue raised last year when Broady got nabbed smoking

Ultimately at end of season events it will happen

 

[bomberclifford]

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Now is not the time for this type of speculation.

 

[kaysee]

Just say no.

Seriously, how hard is it?? All this "needing an outlet" thing is BS... plenty of other ways to blow off stress.

 

[Peck]

Ehh, I'm against drugs in general, though people are allowed to do as they wish.

Personally if I was a footballer I probably wouldn't even drink (which I don't much anyways), but I understand most footballers are cut from a different cloth than me - particularly those from the country. I personally find partying, drinking etc. fairly uninteresting most of the time but I can see why most people do it. To me they are simple pleasures, and those that are completely driven by football - or any endevour - don't usually get distracted by them.

Of course I completely accept that not all footballers are there to be the best, in fact I'd hazard that the majority just do it because they don't need to get a job if they play footy which is quite simply, natural. Its also obvious that many enjoy the "life of a footballer" more than playing footy itself, which again I believe is simply the nature of these things.

If I ran a football club, and had footballers doing drugs in a way that affected their ability I'd stop or sack them. If they were doing them in a way that didn't affect their ability to play directly, I wouldn't stop or sack them, but I would definitely look to draft the guys who are there purely to play football, and not those that want to party all the time. The guy that thinks about footy when he wakes up in the morning, when he goes to sleep at night, when he is in the shower - every day. That is the man I would be looking to have at my club, and if I could draft 44 of them, I would damn well do it, even if I was sacrificing size and natural ability.

 

[Jumbo]

To be or not toby, that is the question

 

[Jones2ByrneJones]

To be or not toby, that is the question

I am not Toby.

 

[Lightning_Rod]

Polaksed

 

[ash_78]

Good post. I'm going to preface all of these comments and say my comments have got NOTHING to do with recent events and is in no way about any individuals, or the PAFC itself.

It seems to me that a lot of people naively believe that AFL players don't take recreational drugs. Like the OP I don't have conservative views about this issue and have had experiences in this area, and as anyone probably under the age of 35-40 on this board will testify, recreational drugs cross the paths of the majority of 20-somethings who are out partying. AFL players would absolutely be no different in this respect (in fact would be more likely to encounter them) and you'd have to had your head firmly in the sand to believe that a reasonable number don't try them. The fact that the off season is so short in relation to the playing season probably exacerbates this - I wouldn't be surprised if there was a sense of entitlement to "party as hard as I want" during the 6 weeks or so these guys get off a year. I accept that it might happen among the PAFC boys even though I'd prefer that it didn't, but I'd like to think if it's happening, that it's in moderation and fairly controlled. It's probably putting faith in those guys to be smart enough to recognise it as a 1-2 times a year kind of thing, and to preferably be smart enough to not get caught.

Given those views, I think the AFL's recreational drug policy is excellent. People forget that the AFLPA entered into the policy voluntarily - otherwise there would be no policy. The intent of it is purely employee welfare hence the leniency and 2 strikes, with individual education and counselling, rather than punishment, being the cornerstones. The policy recognises that these guys are human, they make mistakes, they're not cheating in any way, and that educating them about the risks is the best way of empowering them to make the right decision next time.

Performance enhancing drugs - massive no. Mainly designed to alter hormone levels which can be extremely damaging health-wise, and not to mention carries massive penalties which would hurt the club.

 

[Power Raid]

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Now is not the time for this type of speculation.

Boberclifford, can I very respectfully ask you to pull this post?

The thread is not about where you may be leading.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

Some people would probably be surprised if they knew how rampant recreational drug use really is amongst AFL footballers. It's really not a concern - the majority would do so in private, away from the limelight and would be doing no harm at all. The majority would also save that stuff for the off season to let their hair down. It's not a concern and players should be treated as people first and foremost, not robots that are a slave to football, a slave to our entertainment.

Performance enhancing drugs however, absolutely 100% no. That would damage the integrity and brand of their respective football clubs and the AFL as a whole. I was only a youngster when it happened, but I remember the uproar when Justin Charles was busted vividly. That wasn't even technically to enhance performance either, it was to recover from an injury quicker. So just a big blanket no on this issue.

 

[ash_78]

Polaksed

If you want your yard in good shape, hire a Gardiner

 

[Oliver King]

I highly doubt our players are taking performance enhancing drugs.

 

[Macca19]

If we are taking performance enhancing drugs, well, its clearly not working is it!

Most people have either tried recreational drugs or take recreational drugs regularly. Im not sure why people think that footballers who are fitter, stronger, more money etc. would be any different.

 

[Natman]

I just don't get why people need to resort to drugs to 'enjoy life'.

FFS, get a life.

 

[stanmack]

The whole performance enhancing debate is compromised by the fact that we use other drugs that do the same thing but are legal. The whole steroid situation is clouded. We can't take certain steroids because they assist repairing of tissue and therefore allow you to not only build more muscle but assist in general recovery. However we can jab a joint with cortisone that takes away inflammation almost instantly and allows the player to do something he couldn't do without it. Prednisolone is another legal one, take it from me this drug will have old aunty gerty doing handstands within 24 hours of the first dose its that good. Both legal and available by script.

 

[Jonts]

I've been at places where elite junior footballers (not going to name names) have been seen on pot, and alleged pill popping

it happens but i think GP is correct

Don't get caught with recreational drugs, dont do PED's

 

[Portia]

I have never done any recreational drugs personally (outside of breathing at a concert, and alcohol), but I really don't see the problem with players getting a bit high during the offseason. Like the rest of Australia, its up to the individual to define their level of professionalism and to cop the consequences when they make a bad choice.

However, if I were football manager and had evidence that the boys were doing stuff during the regular season, I'd lose my s**t for multiple reasons - the effect on recovery, the increased impact of an in-season media shitstorm if found out, not being smart enough to hide it, what it says about motivation to perform at a peak, etc. When they're on holiday, well, whatever.

 

[Jonts]

I think to expand on that though Porthos

it becomes a problem when they take that much of a recreational drug on holiday that they come back substantially less fit than the rest of the squad from their break