A promising young footballer has had his AFL career severely halted, after he was given an 18-month suspension after admitting to taking a substance on the prohibited list.
St Kilda footballer Ahmed Saad will not be able to play football until 2015, after he tested positive to a banned stimulant contained in a pre-workout shake he consumed before a match.
After reading many discussion boards and comments from fans of the game, the general consensus is Saad is a cheat and he deserves his punishment.
But this was not the act of a cheat.
It was an honest, albeit negligent and naïve mistake made by a young footballer trying to get the best out of himself.
Saad had to work hard for an opportunity in the AFL.
He joined VFL side Northern Bullants in 2009, despite not being formally invited to train with the club. He turned up unannounced to an early pre-season training and was allowed to continue.
After failing to play a senior VFL game in his first season with the club, Saad developed over the next two years and eventually became one of the most damaging small forwards in the competition.
His 50-goal season in 2011 finally gave him a chance at an AFL club, yet only two years later he has found himself delisted.
Saad is not the only player who has had his career and reputation tarnished as a result of harsh drug bans.
VFL player Wade Lees copped an 18-month ban after attempting to import a fat-burning product he ordered on the internet.
His package was intercepted by Australian Customs, who alerted the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.
Despite not even taking the substance, Lees has missed two of the prime years of his football career.
Matthew Clark is another case of a young footballer missing years for an honest mistake. The VFL player consumed an energy drink that contained a banned substance prior to game.
There was no malicious intent in Clark’s actions, in fact, he knew he was going to be drug tested after the game.
The drink was reportedly common among VFL players and bought at a store easily accessible to any athlete.
Despite this, his initial nine-month ban – handed down by AFL Victoria – was appealed by ASADA and increased to two years.
Clark’s mother Jan, while facing her own personal health problems with a cancer battle, expressed her dismay through writing a letter supporting her son.
She passed away two days before Mother’s Day this year and sadly never got to see her son play again.
There is absolutely no place for cheating in the AFL and other sports. However there is a big difference between knowingly injecting yourself with substances such as anabolic steroids and taking commonly consumed energy drinks.
Rather than hatred, Saad and the VFL footballers that received bans deserve sympathy.
Saad has hopes of returning to the AFL after his ban expires and I personally hope he makes it back.
John Wilkins
Guest
You are missing the point here Ian, enforcing a "zero tolerance" drugs policy is fine (though fraught with just as many problems as one which Is principled on judicial discretion) what is at issue is that whatever the policy, it must be fairly and consistently applied, and in the case of "Saad vs Essendon (players) it has not been. The AFL is not impartial, in fact quite the opposite, the AFL has a vested interest in seeking outcomes that are beneficial to its aims (many of which may be quite different from its public manifesto). Essendon players were not pursued or sanctioned because the ramifications of this legal tsunami were to be avoided at all costs from the AFL's perspective. They were from the outset trying to bury the whole affair and only changed tack once details of the scope of "goings on" were leaked and some form of response became unavoidable. Essendon threatened to expose the fact that the AFL had been complicit and individuals would be held to public account in court, and so a deal was struck. Essendon would be seen to pay a price to appease the public outcry, but no Essendon player would face sanctions despite more than sufficient evidence to do so. So what we have here Ian, is selective sanctioning. Saad (technically and foolishly) breaks the code and gets 18 months. Essendon players are party to an extended doping program specially engineered to gain a competitive advantage (illegal on multiple grounds within both the ASADA & WADA codes as well as AFL RULES), in which even the Captain publicly declared he was a participant, and not a single player is sanctioned? And as you stated earlier Ian: Ian Whitchurch said | December 1st 2013 @ 12:23am | Report comment ‘Dont know’ doesnt matter. Either you accept strict liability for what goes into athletes bodies, or you get an endless parade of doping athletes who claim ‘but I didnt know what was in this patent medicine I took’. So Saad becomes the lamb the AFL hold up to maintain the illusion that that they really have drugs policy, and they really are enforcing it. What a sham! No Ian, I don't support St.Kilda (or Saad for that matter), just a level playing field.
Avon River
Guest
The sad thing is that as a devout muslim Saad doesn't drink nor do drugs. Was there an intent to cheat? Was there a trend in behavior? Or on a case by case basis in a real court of law would his infringement be deemed trivial in the extreme and be thrown out with at worst a warning and/or a bond.
brett
Guest
Seems to me, a St Kilda supporter that a lot of disrespect and self righteousness is going on. These are kids, often not well educated, yet they are expected to understand ASADA... Well, I have read all, well most, cos it was boring. How about the club doctors take the whole squad aside and explain. I have 2 degrees. Its crazy out there. Doctors unfortunately have now become a huge point in AFL....Ian I respect what you're saying but you are miles off the mark!!!
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Take it to court for what ? For the AFL enforcing the AFL Anti-Doping Code that says you can't take WADA-prohihibited stimulants on game day ? For under that code it being the athletes responsibility for whatever is in their body ? For Ahmed Saad not cross checking the entire freaking ingredients list of his patent medicine with the WADA Prohibited List ?
Zack Naddaf
Guest
I agree in that they should take this to court, James Hird hired a flock of lawyers and coped 12 months for throwing the whole game into a shambles????? but heyyy, I guess when you got the goodies on the AFL then its in their best interest to work with you. What Saad coped was far to harsh and seriously has me questioning the game all together. Its governed by a pack of morons with no real stability when it comes to writing policy and governing it and I seriously believe that any court would have ruled in favour of Saad, not destroy a promising career
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Idiocy is forgetting to read the AFL Anti-Doping Policy and the WADA Code. Yeah, theres plenty of substances that are only illegal on game day. Finding out if you take them is a really, really good idea for someone who wants to stay a professional sportsman.
Lroy
Guest
This is beyond preposterous, you can drink this stuff the night before, but not on the day?? What BS is that?? Its either banned or it isnt? These blokes should take their cases to court.. cant see this nonsense standing up in common law. Uncommon idiocy is what this reeks off
Are you there Harry
Guest
He was employed by the company to promote a drink that contains something on ASADA's banned list for match day but was unaware of this?
Are you there Harry
Guest
Followed by your head.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Methylsynephrine, which is also the stuff that the sprinters Tyson Gay and Asafa Power were busted for using. It's an ingredient in a sports supplement, and - unlike certain fans - ASADA doesnt approve of players getting wired on stimulants on game day. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/jul/15/tyson-gay-asafa-powell-oxilofrine
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
ASADA never gave any advice at all to Essendon.
Graham Smith
Roar Guru
He might get a rookie contract next year.
Franko
Guest
Don't mention Essendon mate, your comment will be removed.
Stavros
Guest
It is way too harsh on Saad, and there seems to be no common sense when it comes to giving out penalties. As for ASADA, why don't they just come out and admit they made a mistake with the advice that they gave to Essendon.
joe
Guest
Was starting to think i was the only one who thought saad was unlucky good article jackson
Ronny
Roar Rookie
Except for the continuing confusion aound AOD it seems, and FWIU that investigation will now conclude in 2015 ...... LOL, what a joke, half the players will have retired, seriously what a joke.
Ronny
Roar Rookie
The sports drink he took, can't be consumed on match day, however if he drank it friday night, that would have been OK. Agree with the author, Saad was not trying to cheat, was unaware that the drink contained banned substances, in fact he was employed by the company to promote it. ASADA are by any definition a pathetic mob of public servants.
stam
Roar Rookie
Does anyone know exactly what he took?