AFL Investigating Lions Cover up and drug claims

[SydneyRox]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/cover-up-claim-hits-brisbane-lions-as-afl-launches-probe-into-allegations-of-match-fixing-and-drug-use/story-e6frexx0-1226580690436

Some big issues here, if found to be true. Ash Mcgraths cousin says he supplied 6 players with speed, ecstacy and marijuana, was involved in match fixing and illegal gambling!!

Voss says it could have happened without him knowing, he might have been better not to comment at all, his comments certainly dont make it sound unlikely

[Ringo]

This has also been picked up in the Dody Dealings Topic in the Essendon thread.  Have asked mods to move to the General AFL thread given the number of clubs that are now being involved.

Here are my comments from the thread:

Just read the article myself Boomz and as a Lions supporter agree that these claims now need to be investigated fully given that a staffer has confirmed some of the allegations.  If players are found to have used illicit drugs then the book needs to be thrown at them.  Even though they are social drugs they are still illegal and the law needs to be enforced.

This one is basically an issue of illicit drug use and until they AFL gets serious with hair testing most players will continue to escape the net of urine testing. I suspect also if truth be known there is recreational drug use by some players at most clubs and you would be naive to think this is not the case.  Whether you hate him or love him Jason Akermanis raised recreational drug use some 6 years ago but not a lot was done then.

This compares with the suspected use of Performance enhancing drugs by Essendon and both are illegal and need thorough investigation. 

[SydneyRox]

This has also been picked up in the Dody Dealings Topic in the Essendon thread.  Have asked mods to move to the General AFL thread given the number of clubs that are now being involved.

Good idea, there may be another club involved yet.

Just read the article myself Boomz and as a Lions supporter agree that these claims now need to be investigated fully given that a staffer has confirmed some of the allegations.  If players are found to have used illicit drugs then the book needs to be thrown at them.  Even though they are social drugs they are still illegal and the law needs to be enforced.

This one is basically an issue of illicit drug use and until they AFL gets serious with hair testing most players will continue to escape the net of urine testing. I suspect also if truth be known there is recreational drug use by some players at most clubs and you would be naive to think this is not the case.  Whether you hate him or love him Jason Akermanis raised recreational drug use some 6 years ago but not a lot was done then.

This compares with the suspected use of Performance enhancing drugs by Essendon and both are illegal and need thorough investigation. 

Yeah, surprise, surprise that they went to Aker for an opinion.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/aker-urges-brisbane-lions-to-take-drug-claims-seriously-that-six-players-at-club-in-past-decade-were-heavy-users/story-e6frexx0-1226580667558

He has been saying it for a while, a bit of the boy who cried wolf with Aker, he talks so much junk, some of the 'good' stuff gets ignored or swept away as Aker being Aker.

[Ringo]

Do not whether they went to Aker or Aker being Aker just voiced his opinion and was picked up.

Plenty of rumours now about who could have been users but I will wait for official investigation to name players.

[Grazz]

How far has the AFL dropped the ball on all of this. To me everything smacks of incompetence on their behalf in the past and the the present. The 3 strikes policy has only enabled  the problem to get worse, the tanking investigation a farce, why just Melbourne when at least two other clubs tanked as well and at some stages it was a race to the bottom in seasons past, ignoring people telling them they had a problem, gagging certain people in the media with court injunctions to stop stories making the papers just to name a few all the while increasing their salaries as a reward for dropping the ball and being a major contributor to the issues we are currently experiencing because of poor policy and inattentiveness. They are a bloody embarrassment.

[SydneyRox]

Dead right Grazz.

They have dropped the ball on these issues in a big way and it has come back to bite them. Surely things like Akers comments, Cousins getting away with all his stuff should have been a wake up that they just aren't getting these things right on the drugs policy. 3 Strikes before the club finds out and turn your self in to be ok is a joke.

And how long has everyone been talking about tanking and priority picks when all they had to do is remove the incentive to tank!!

[Grazz]

Dead right Grazz.

They have dropped the ball on these issues in a big way and it has come back to bite them. Surely things like Akers comments, Cousins getting away with all his stuff should have been a wake up that they just aren't getting these things right on the drugs policy. 3 Strikes before the club finds out and turn your self in to be ok is a joke.

And how long has everyone been talking about tanking and priority picks when all they had to do is remove the incentive to tank!!

To right mate, 90% of the issues we have have been of their own making by failed rules and policy along with a head in the sand attitude ie if the people dont know then there isnt a problem.

[Ringo]

Dead right Grazz.

They have dropped the ball on these issues in a big way and it has come back to bite them. Surely things like Akers comments, Cousins getting away with all his stuff should have been a wake up that they just aren't getting these things right on the drugs policy. 3 Strikes before the club finds out and turn your self in to be ok is a joke.

And how long has everyone been talking about tanking and priority picks when all they had to do is remove the incentive to tank!!More games will

To right mate, 90% of the issues we have have been of their own making by failed rules and policy along with a head in the sand attitude ie if the people dont know then there isnt a problem.

Well said both of you and agree the AFL has had its head in the sand for too long and should have addressed the issues when they first arose rather than pushing them aside.

I have been totally against the three strikes policy and whilst we have the need to protect privacy that right I believe is foregone when illicit substances are knowingly taken.

[SydneyRox]

Dead right Grazz.

They have dropped the ball on these issues in a big way and it has come back to bite them. Surely things like Akers comments, Cousins getting away with all his stuff should have been a wake up that they just aren't getting these things right on the drugs policy. 3 Strikes before the club finds out and turn your self in to be ok is a joke.

And how long has everyone been talking about tanking and priority picks when all they had to do is remove the incentive to tank!!More games will

To right mate, 90% of the issues we have have been of their own making by failed rules and policy along with a head in the sand attitude ie if the people dont know then there isnt a problem.

Well said both of you and agree the AFL has had its head in the sand for too long and should have addressed the issues when they first arose rather than pushing them aside.

I have been totally against the three strikes policy and whilst we have the need to protect privacy that right I believe is foregone when illicit substances are knowingly taken.

Agree. If you are doing something that society deems illegal, why should the person and the AFL be able to hide that from your employer and your union for that matter??

[Mr.Craig]

To be honest I don't really care about the drugs, none of it surprises me at all. What I'm interested in is these match fixing claims.

[SydneyRox]

Gonna be hard to pin anyone on those you would reckon. Long time ago, and like Aker said, it wasnt like they didnt win alot, so it is likely the more exotic bets, having also been illegal betting isnt going to help.

[Ringo]

Agree it will be hard to prove, especially if it allegedly ocurred during our Golden run, but suspect it may have been an exotic bet similar to a couple we have seen recently like first goal scorer etc

[Ringo]

Looks like the AFL will not take it further until substantiated by evidence

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2013-02-19/afl-to-leave-lions-untouched