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As the nation continues to reel back, stunned and bruised, battered and shattered, souls torn apart and trampled into the blood-soaked dust, dreams scorched and drowned and shot and stabbed, forever, I have forgotten the point of this sentence.
The fallout from Australia’s Darkest Day In Sport (ADDIS) continues to fall out. This reporter has been at the forefront of the over-hyped opinion pieces of little value and inflammatory ravings that add nothing of any worth.
Coincidence?
But it’s worse than you think.
Revealed for the first time now are the below empty, vacuous speculations that if proven true, could rock me to the very core of my very core.
• A high profile NRL star was caught on an invasive and creepy Channel Nine dressing room camera self-administering performance-enabling drugs, in clear view of his team mates and coach. In the footage, the player is seen removing the cap of a small, blue, plastic container. He then shakes the object and raises it to his mouth. He seemingly pumps the device with his hand as he visibly inhales the drug. He repeats this process a couple of times before tossing the drug dispensing device into his bag.
• A high profile NRL star was once seen drinking in a particularly trendy inner-city Sydney pub. While he and his mates lorded it up in the front bar they were spotted not being aware that this same pub was possibly frequented by alleged underworld figures at some time in the past or future.
• These imaginary underworld figures may or may not be involved in the sale and distribution of illicit substances. For example, drugs. From there it’s not hard to imagine that these same drug dealing criminals could well have infiltrated the glamorous world of professional rugby league. The NRL had no comment.
• The code makes much of its education programs for players, claiming its messages of civility and the keeping of clean noses does much to help players keep their noses clean. Well, the question must be asked: did the player in question miss this lesson or are the educational programs just not as effective as I’ve claimed the NRL claimed they are?
• Etc (probably more stuff)
“Useless speculation or hyper-sensationalism?”, you may ask yourself.
You may well have a better view of the situation with your head buried in the sand, your feathery rear end pointing comically into the air.
This situation won’t go away just because you want it to. Not while we’re selling papers, it won’t.
Coincidence? Here’s why.
A quick perusal of the list of banned substances at WADA reveals some shocking new evidence that will make ADDIS look like a picnic on a cloud floating above an ocean of honey.
The very first non-approved substance on the WADA banned list reads, in part (abridged):
“Any… substance…is prohibited.”
The rest of the list makes for grim reading for the NRL.
It can finally be revealed the hormone or metabolic modulator “anastrozole” bears a striking resemblance to the name of a high profile NRL star. We won’t name him because he has absolutely nothing to do with anything and it’s a pure coincidence.
However, this won’t stop us making the association and drawing an ephemeral but indestructible link in the minds of our readers between the player and the banned substance.
Coincidence?
Lessons must be learned so the damning allegations I’ve invented above do not continue to not be unreported and unembellished.
Hard lessons, painful lessons. Lessons that must be remembered and not forgotten.
We encourage our children to get involved in sport to benefit their health, give them self-confidence.
However the sad fact is since ADDIS, no child has come up to me in the street and remarked that they’re keen to start playing a sport.
No parent has approached me and said something nice about a high profile player.
In fact, no one has stopped to talk to me at all.
Coincidence?
ADDIS must never happen again until next February when there’s not much sport to talk about.
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