KEITH Thomas wants Port Adelaide to lead the way in reforming the illicit drugs policy at play in the AFL.
And he wants Port to be able to test all employees – not just players.
Acknowledging the challenge of combating the use of illicit drugs nationwide, especially with recent revelations of drug abuse at grassroots level around Australia, the Power’s chief executive says the AFL’s existing illicit drugs policy – currently under review – requires a stricter testing regime.
At present, a ‘three strikes’ policy exists around the use of illicit drugs, and players are able to self-report to avoid incurring a strike, although must undergo education and counselling as part of a program that emphasises player privacy and welfare.
However the system prevents senior club management from immediately knowing whether an illicit drug problem exists within their playing ranks, and from taking positive action to address the issue, until a second strike is recorded.
Thomas wants that changed.
“I want to know if one of my players has an issue and if we have that visibility, I want to get him into the help he requires straight away,” Thomas told Adelaide radio station FIVEaa.
“I don’t want to be guessing, I want to know, and at the moment we can’t do that.
“We’ve been saying, as other clubs have been saying, it [the existing ‘three strikes’ system] is not right.”
Port Adelaide has already investigated the possibility of introducing its own internal illicit drugs policy, separate to the AFL’s, however significant red tape and stakeholder management has made the reality of such a policy unlikely.
Instead, Thomas wants to lead the illicit drugs conversation to see policies introduced that puts the power to combat the issue back in the hands of clubs.
“There’s a big problem here in society ... and we need to get proactive with this and make a stand,” Thomas said.
“Historically it’s been underplayed [as an issue] and AFL clubs, as they have in so many other social issues, should take the lead in this.”
Although Thomas wants to see changes to the AFL’s illicit drugs policy, he doesn’t seek a zero-tolerance approach.
He does want to see less leniency, however, such as that which currently exists in the ‘self-reporting’ allowance and ‘three strikes’ policy.
Among his wishes is a desire to extend testing beyond just players.
“I don’t subscribe to the view that AFL players should not be held to a higher standard, I think absolutely they should be,” Thomas said.
“There’s no room for drugs in AFL football, and nor should there be in society.
“[But] right now … I’m finding it’s difficult [to introduce an independent policy], there’s a lot of stakeholders, and as a club we can’t do what we want to do; as an AFL club, we want to take a lead.
“If we were to introduce [a new policy], we’ll it introduce this staff-wide, board-wide, executive-wide, because if you’re representing Port Adelaide, you’re Port Adelaide.
“If we’re against drugs, we’re all against drugs.
“That is the position we want to take, and we’re champing at the bit to get into that conversation with the powers that be.”
