Demons star made an AFL 'scapegoat'

Well the father of Melbourne footballer Joel Smith is speaking out this morning raising fears his son is being used as a scapegoat to cover up drug use in the AFL. Sean Smith joins us live from Melbourne. Now Sean, good to see you. Joel is facing a multi year suspension after testing +2 cocaine in August. You reckon he’s been made the fall guy. Well all the noise has come out that he’s an isolated incident that that actually was some of the the message coming from the from the footy club. If you think Joe’s an isolated incident you you you need to open your eyes it’s it’s brought through society and the AFL obviously have a massive issue with this. They even came out a month ago admitted that they did off off the book testing to to well to pretty much cover it up I would say. I mean there is a lot of thought around this being you know a widespread issue within the AFL. We saw tragically the news about former footballer Harley Ballack who died after a battle with substance abuse a couple of years ago and now that is the subject of a Sport Integrity Australian investigation into the AF LS drug policy. His family’s concerned not enough care was provided to their son. Is that how you say it? Well, you’ve got to look at just the workplace in itself. If the if the AFL are doing off the book testing to avoid being caught on game day that’s that’s pretty much enabling young men who have got you know a bit of money in their pocket to to take drugs and get away with it. You know there’s there’s pictures of IFL players with white powder and you know there’s obviously some known players with some struggles. Current players with with drug issues and yeah and it just seems like the IFL are doing nothing about it and obviously what Joel did I I I, you know I don’t condone or or grieve with and he regrets it greatly but he’s not a lone wolf by any stretch of the imagination. Well, Sean how do you see it in terms of the AFL plays Association led by Patty Dangerfield says the AF LS policy has undoubtedly saved lives. What do you think they’re doing wrong then? Well, I I think that’s just a a very good statement from Patrick Dangerfield ’cause he’s the president of the the PA, you know that that’s it’s not saving lives, it’s actually enabling young men to to take drugs and get away with it. Then they just scrap that illicit drug policy and and start again. Where do they start? Well, I I just reckon regular testing twice a week. If you if you test players twice a week and you want to take drugs you’re you’re not going to be playing football for much for for long. So you have to toe the line and it it’s meant to be a a high performance environment. Professionalism and cocaine shouldn’t be part of that or any other drug. Sean. There’s no doubt Joel is obviously caught in the middle of this mess right. Everyone’s still trying to feel their way through it but he’s now sidelined you know while this investigation is underway for you as his dad. What’s it like seeing his son go through this How is he doing? Well, I I’m, I’m, I’m sort of making noise on behalf of a parent. I mean this doesn’t just affect the player, it affects everyone around them and no one wants to see their children be put into a safe and unsafe environment and that’s pretty much what the AFL is at the moment. When in that regards if if things don’t change you know you talk to many people and they say Oh yeah we we see players out doing drugs all the time and you go well that doesn’t make it right. I know it’s rife in society which is which is a horrible horrible blood on society but these are professional athletes so it shouldn’t be part of their day-to-day life and and you know the the the AFL will do anything to cover up to protect the brand. And I I just see, you know, obviously Joel’s done the wrong thing. And yes, he’ll have to do his time, but he’s not a lion wolf and they’re sort of making him have to be a bit of a scapegoat here. Yeah, calling it an unsafe environment is significant. Sean, thank you so much for joining us this morning. We really appreciate it. Thank you.