Ben Cousins of Richmond looks on during the AFL Round 01 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Carlton Blues at the MCG, Melbourne. Slattery Images
Richmond may have finally worked their way off the bottom of the ladder over the weekend, but all the talk yesterday was about Ben Cousins being admitted to intensive care after an adverse reaction to a sleeping pill.
It was terrible news to hear and it isn’t over yet, with Cousins reportedly in an induced coma.
“This morning his girlfriend rang the club and spoke to the club doctor to let him know that she found it difficult to rouse him and it was decided to take him to Epworth hospital,” Richmond football manager Craig Cameron said yesterday.
He also said the club won’t know more for the next day or so, and: “We’ve got no suspicion that there was anything illicit involved.”
Undeterred by that comment, it didn’t take long for the media to jump on the story and slip into their usual habits whenever Cousins makes the news.
“Cousins pill drama,” screamed one TV graphic yesterday. “Controversy has intervened again,” wrote the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph. “He will be a drug addict until the day he dies,” said Nine’s Craig Hutchison, in response to a fellow host having the audacity to describe Cousins as a “recovering” drug addict.
While it’s probably not such a bad idea to treat a Cousins hospital admission with a degree of scepticism, you can’t help but feel it’s all a bit unfair.
If any other AFL player were admitted to hospital yesterday under the same circumstances, everyone would be wishing him the best and hoping for a speedy recovery.
But there’s a different set of rules for Cousins.
No one knows the full details at this stage, and Cousins himself is in no state to respond to any critics, yet he still cops it. And it’s intriguing, because when you actually sit down and look at what details we do know, it’s difficult to find anything all that “controversial”.
He’s taken caffeine tablets before the game. Nothing illegal there. Nothing we didn’t already know players were doing.
He’s had red wine, in moderation, with his girlfriend at home after the game. Nothing illegal there. Nothing we didn’t already know players were doing.
He’s then taken a sleeping pill after that. You could probably fault him at this point; players should know not to mix drugs so casually. But still, nothing illegal with taking a sleeping pill. Nothing we didn’t already know players were doing.
There may be more to it. But we just don’t know right now, so it would be blatantly unfair on Cousins to assume otherwise.
Certainly, it seems a bit early for The Australian to be reporting: “The hope Ben Cousins held of playing a 16th season in 2011 all but disappeared yesterday.”
Despite not being the player he once was, Cousins is holding his own out on the footy field. He gets more than 20 possessions most weeks, he’s ranked fifth at the club for disposals per game. He’s also become a real mentor for younger players and provides that rare commodity known as experience.
By no means is he guaranteed a spot on the Tigers’ list next year. But it’s hard to see how, on the information out so far, yesterday’s news would have any influence on the club’s decision-making.
Perhaps the real issue here is how footballers are using caffeine tablets and sleeping tablets. Some tried to play down the use of sleeping tablets yesterday, but it’s easy to suspect they are more prevalent than most people think. A number of Geelong players have taken sleeping tablets the night before grand finals.
At any rate, using the caffeine tablets pre-game and then sleeping pills post-game doesn’t sound like the greatest idea in the world. But I’m no expert.
I would, however, like to wish Cousins all the best and hope for a speedy recovery.
charmaine lovell
Guest
I don't think I am the right charmaine
Dallas
Guest
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ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Why did his girlfriend ring the Richmond Club and not 000 emergency when she found him unconscious? Is she under instructions from the AFL as well?
Redb
Roar Guru
agree Apaway, its a very ordinary cycle to get into.
Redb
Roar Guru
agree, its a pretty ordinary cycle to start.
apaway
Guest
What I'd do Beaver is never touch caffeine tablets and sleeping tablets as a way of regulating my pre and post match routine.
Karlos
Guest
But he is not your normal footballer. He is a recovering drug addict (thanks in part to the AFLs policy in that area) and the fact he was allowed on a legal version of upper and downer drugs is absolutely amazing. As I said above; he himself, his natropath girlfriend, club doctors, club admin and coaches and I will add, the AFL were all unable to see what anyone with common sense would see. Talk about failures of a system and a failure of OHS standars. I am off on a road trip, so will leave it to you blokes.
Michael C
Roar Guru
he's being tested about 3 times a week isn't he......every week.....there's not much chance he'd be back on the 'illicit' sause so to speak. The grog is another story - - but, that's not illegal and I'm no wowser.
Karlos
Guest
Then I am sure you are happy that nobody has. Talk about sensitive. Glad to hear he was only on legal drugs, but wouldn't you think that between himself, his natropath girlfriend, club doctors and the coaching staff someone would have had enough brains to keep him off uppers and downers?
beaver fever
Guest
When i first heard it, i thought what a load of crap, the guy is back on the sauce ( so to speak), but he has been keen for a drug test to clear it up. Anyway what he does IMO is stupid ( caffeine pills), but on the other hand, any leg up that you can get might get him a new contract next year, and a good income. What would you do ?.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
Agreed.
Redb
Roar Guru
That's good news for the Tigers. Cousins is a hardened midfielder they will need him to have any chance against Freo.
Michael DiFabrizio
Expert
Some real good comments guys. Thanks. Here's the latest update: "BEN Cousins wants to play for Richmond this weekend after leaving hospital this morning following a drug-induced medical scare. Epworth Hospital staff confirmed this morning that the Brownlow medalist had left. It is believed Cousins discharged himself. Fox Sports reports that toxicology reports have confirmed no illicit substances were connected to Cousins' scare and that Cousins expects to make a quick recovery and hopes to play against Fremantle on Saturday night. The tests are reportedly reveal alcohol was not a factor and it is believed Cousins made a mistake in the dosage of a powerful sleeping tablet." http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-ben-cousins-back-in-hospital/story-e6frf9jf-1225888005432 Funny how he goes from career over to a chance to play on the weekend overnight.
Terry Kidd
Guest
The real story here is not Ben Cousins but the fact that the use of uppers and downers is so widespread, it just took Ben's unfortunate post game reaction to bring the story into the open. I, too was flabergasted to read that pre-game caffeine and then post game sleeping tablets were the norm. I say ban them both, lets have totally drug free sportspeople. No needles before games to mask injuries, no uppers, no downers no nothing. Let all players of all sports compete entirely on their own individual merits without artificial aids.
Dejan Kalinic
Roar Guru
Cousins has just been released from hospital. The club will release a statement in the next hour. There has been reports another player has been in hospital since Friday night, who would've known?
Redb
Roar Guru
It is naive to think that Cousins is the only sportsperson who takes a version of uppers and downers before and after a game.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
"While it’s probably not such a bad idea to treat a Cousins hospital admission with a degree of scepticism, you can’t help but feel it’s all a bit unfair. If any other AFL player were admitted to hospital yesterday under the same circumstances, everyone would be wishing him the best and hoping for a speedy recovery. But there’s a different set of rules for Cousins." The different set of rules applies to all repeat offenders whether in sport or in life. While a first offence (particuarly where a moderate one) for various offences in society will often be dealt with quite leniently, the same offence committed by a serial offender will typically be dealt with much more severely. The issue is not that Cousins had an "adverse reaction to a sleeping pill", it is that yet again he has been found dabbling in a cocktail of uppers and downers to put his career and life at risk. If that's what he wants to do, that's fine, but its right for fans, administrators and sponsors to demand it's done on someone else's clock.
Redb
Roar Guru
It is inconveivable that people will use this situation to inflame code war comments. Grow up.
Michael C
Guest
As a few people have mentioned - - this issue highlights the 'legal' drugs problem in both sport and the community. The illicit drug etc is the tip of an giant iceberg,.....but, an iceberg more made up of legal substances, such as prescribed and over the counter drugs, and alcohol - - and the misuse of such. Anytime the boss of the Australian Drug Foundation is interviewed about the AFL illicit drugs policy, he goes to pains to stress that 'drugs' includes alcohol and other legal substances too - - and the abuse of any of those is a major problem. So, hopefully Cousins can pull through this okay - - but, (I'd suggest) he's certainly got to be super careful how much more he pumps toxins into his body. And re illegal substances - - there's surely no suggestion he's had any of such - - as, he's the most heavily tested/scrutinised sportsperson in the world. btw - Charmaine --- used to be players could safely just go out on the town to wind down, but, such is the scrutiny of the twitter society that they can't do that any more either.
Charmaine Lovell
Guest
I can't believe that it is ok to take caffeine tablets or sleeping tablets what are the Drs thinking. surely the high should come from the fact that they are playing first grade footy and to have a drink and learn to relax after the game. Maybe we expect too much from our sportsmen. What happened to the days when players worked for a living as well as play. It would be a much better inviroment would probably keep most players out of trouble. My best wishes to Ben I love watching you play