This morning upon getting my coffee I witnessed an old man point to Sandor Earl’s image blazoned across the newspapers and say to the waitress “drug cheating dealer” while he waited for his breakfast.
Here it occurred to me the majority of Australia right now are thinking the same thing, Earl is a drug dealer walking around with his bum bag and signature Rolex selling pills to kids on the streets.
Drug cheat. Drug Trafficker.
According to ASADA, right now this cannot be argued, it’s the context however on how it’s being sensationalised which is saddening.
No one wanted to be the first, for whoever had to wear that hat was always going to be hung out to dry, labelled, judged and trolled over the internet.
It was also this time last year I first spoke with Earl after two shoulder reconstructions, when his then-club Penrith Panthers were struggling to string together a win.
David Furner, the man sacked by the Canberra Raiders last week orchestrated the move for Earl giving him a much-needed lifeline.
“All the boys here are great, it’s a young team, I gelled really quickly and in Canberra you do get a chance to focus a bit more on your footy” Earl had said.
Raiders death quote of the year?
Earl’s story is obviously different to your general NRL player fable. No speeding fines or missing persons here.
His tale was derived through medical practitioners, doctors he trusted, ones who advised and directed him to take the banned peptide CJC-1295.
Last month American sprinter Tyson Gay was reprimanded for doping, here he summed up what we will most likely be hearing from athletes internationally and here for years to come:
“I don’t have a sabotage story. I basically put my trust in someone and was let down. I hope I am able to run again, but I will take whatever punishment I get like a man.”
I have made it clear previously the price a young man is willing to pay.
This isn’t about a player driving around in the dark at night giving a stranger a wad of money in exchange for something in a brown paper bag.
Earl is not a Ben Cousins train-wreck except embarrassingly, mainstream Australia will be too ignorant to bother reading these articles to learn the difference.
Am I the only one finding it amusing how Earl – who is not an NRL superstar – is now suddenly referred to everywhere as a ‘New Zealander’ who had an out to French rugby appears to be somewhat of a scapegoat?
I’ll never have drug trafficker next to my name or be referred to as a criminal, but Earl can be rest assured soon he won’t have to bear this burden alone.
This is only the beginning of a long process which will reveal many names. Sandor Earl was only the trailer.
“Lose yourself in the comedy drama that is ASADA, coming to a news bulletin this summer.”
No matter the cheap headlines or opinions, right now somewhere there is a 23-year-old kid hiding out.
His world, dreams and aspirations in tatters over wanting to do something most athletes take for granted – he just wanted to play footy.
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