Cousins drug charge

October 16, 2007, 8:24pm,  391 views

The report in The West Australian says it all:

“Troubled West Coast star Ben Cousins has tonight been charged with drug offences after a highly public arrest in Northbridge this morning. Police allegedly found a prohibited drug in his car during a traffic stop, and also charged the football star with refusing to comply with a police drug test.”

If the charges are proved, it’s disturbing that he wouldn’t take a drug test considering he previously did a runner from a random breath test.

This issue is political given the AFL’s apparent soft handling of drugs in the sport. Cynics believe the league is more concerned about protecting its brand image than stamping out rampant drug abuse.

Earlier this year the Prime Minister’s key adviser on illicit drug use Christopher Pyne told ABC Radio: “These AFL players have a particular place in our society, and therefore they have a particular responsibility, and that means that the AFL’s policy on illicit substances has to reinforce a zero tolerance approach.”

The circumstances surrounding Chris Mainwaring’s death remain a mystery until an inquest is held, but there is enough superficial evidence to suggest the West Coast Eagles have harbored a pervasive drug culture which has been out of control for some time.

This raises all sorts of questions, including the integrity of their 2006 premiership. In the political arena, Labor has so far been reluctant to criticise the three-strikes policy, leaving the issue as one which could unexpectedly influence the election.

Earlier this month Labor’s spokesperson Kate Lundy said: “We might end up with a one-strike, two-strike or three-strike policy. Or no strikes. It will depend on what our working group of experts suggests,” she said.

The government’s policy, announced by Sports Minister George Brandis after the grand final, is more definite. The Coalition proposes public naming after the second strike.