Right: former Brownlow Medallist Ben Cousins has had a chequered - if at times brilliant - career in AFL football. However, many commentators say that Cousins' drug use prevented him from achieving his full potential.Further implications
This is not a simple issue. It is hard not to agree that the AFL crossed a significant line when it instituted a policy which sees it actively monitoring the off-field behaviour of its players in what would normally be regarded as their private lives. The League's motives are likely to have been mixed - a combination of care for the wellbeing of its players and concern that its multi-million dollar brand not be tarnished by off-field antics. The compliance of the Australian Football League Players' Association can probably be attributed to a not dissimilar mix.In terms of the effectiveness of the illicit-drugs policy it would seem to have been a success. As detected under this testing regime, AFL players appear to use illicit-drugs to a far lesser extent than their peers in the general community. Indeed the rate of usage is so low that it has led to speculation that either the players are not being tested frequently enough or they have found ways of faking the test.
With regard to whether the policy is too punitive or too protective, the treatment of Travis Tuck would seem to indicate that the balance is about right. The young man is being offered continued support; however, the public attention now directed to his condition should make it apparent that he will not be able to go on playing if he continues to take illicit substances. From the point of view of the sport's public image, this is doubtless a good thing. It remains to be seen how positive it turns out to be for the young man in question. The inducement of being able to continue his football career may be a good thing; the public exposure and the increased pressure may not. Only time will tell.
The AFL cannot be condemned for trying to build a strong public image; however, it is inevitable that this will sometimes be at the expense of some of its sons who have difficulty maintaining the standards expected. Media exposure has both made the sport the highly profitable industry it is and increased the pressure on those who play it.
It will be interesting to see where the sport goes in its treatment of that far more pervasive social problem - the excessive consumption of alcohol.