‘Salutary lesson’: AFL confirms career-ending ban

AFL brag Andrew Dillon says the four-year prohibition handed retired to Melbourne’s Joel Smith for trafficking cocaine is simply a “salutary lesson” for immoderate subordinate considering utilizing illicit substances.

The prohibition for Smith, who has been sidelined since it was revealed helium tested affirmative to cocaine connected lucifer time successful 2023, was confirmed connected Friday afternoon, each but ending his AFL career.

Dillon welcomed the result which came aft a lengthy probe during which it was established Smith had sent a substance connection to teammates asking them if they wanted to stock drugs helium had obtained, which brought astir the trafficking charge.

“The result successful this matter, successful which Joel Smith has been suspended for much than 4 years, reflects the seriousness with which the AFL treats breaches of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code and is simply a salutary acquisition for immoderate subordinate utilizing illicit substances that are prohibited nether the WADA Code”, Dillon said.

“The usage of show enhancing substances is strictly prohibited successful Australian Football and the AFL volition proceed to enactment with Sport Integrity Australia to place and prosecute the usage of specified substances In-Competition and different behaviour prohibited by the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code.

“The AFL does not successful immoderate mode condone the usage of illicit drugs. If a subordinate chooses to usage illicit drugs, the imaginable consequences are substantial, including risks to wellness and information and of losing the privilege of playing nonrecreational football, arsenic has occurred here.”

Under the presumption of the suspension, Smith is prohibited from participating successful immoderate sports that person adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping argumentation until 9 January 2028, though helium whitethorn instrumentality to grooming from November 2027.

In effect, this result means that Smith is prohibited from playing astatine immoderate level of Australian Football until aboriginal 2028.

Smith, present 28, initially tested affirmative aft the Demons’ circular 23 triumph implicit Hawthorn connected August 20, 2023.

During the consequent probe substance messages sent by Smith referencing cocaine were uncovered.

Smith was banned for:

- Presence of Cocaine and its metabolite, Benzoylecgonine detected successful a illustration provided by Mr Smith during an In-Competition doping power trial connected 20 August 2023, pursuing a lucifer betwixt Melbourne and Hawthorn astatine the MCG;

- Trafficking and/or Attempted Trafficking of Cocaine connected and/or betwixt 28 July 2022 and 30 July 2022;

- Trafficking and/or Attempted Trafficking of Cocaine connected and/or betwixt 5 September 2022 and 10 September 2022;

- Trafficking and/or Attempted Trafficking of Cocaine connected and/or betwixt 12 April 2020 and 7 September 2020; and

- Possession of Cocaine connected 9 September 2022.

The Australian Football Anti-Doping Code states trafficking successful an anti-doping discourse is relevantly defined to beryllium “Selling, giving, transporting, sending, delivering oregon distributing a Prohibited Substance, by an Athlete … to immoderate 3rd enactment [but] shall not see actions involving Prohibited Substances which are not prohibited successful Out-of-Competition Testing unless the circumstances arsenic a full show specified Prohibited Substances are not intended for genuine and ineligible therapeutic purposes oregon are intended to heighten athletics performance” (Article 1 of the Code).

Smith is not facing immoderate transgression charges.