AFL players facing perils of addiction

Addiction counsellor Robert Mittiga says there are AFL players out there who are "very sick". Picture: Matt Turner Source: The Advertiser

THE AFL has been urged to make a full psychological assessment as soon as a player tests positive for illicit drugs - or face the spectre of losing one of its own to the perils of addiction.

One of the country's leading addiction counsellors, Adelaide's Robert Mittiga, voiced his concerns to The Advertiser ahead of the AFL drugs summit in Melbourne, beginning today, where the club's powerbrokers will debate the issue.

Most clubs are expected to support the expert's stance, with Collingwood president Eddie McGuire yesterday telling Melbourne radio: "At the moment we don't get any of that information so we're shuffling around in the dark."

Mittiga, who successfully treated former Crows captain Simon Goodwin and ex-Demon Daniel Ward for gambling problems, regularly has players referred to him by the AFL Players' Association for treatment of gambling and drug addiction.

He warned some players were at grave risk if their problems were not thoroughly dealt with as early as possible.

"There are some players out there who are very sick - who are destroying themselves."

Mittiga was heartened by the game tackling the issue, but worried about the rules in place, which only informs the club's doctors of the first and second strikes and have coaches, teammates and the family of players unaware of a potentially life-threatening condition affecting a player.

"The reality of it is this: sometimes, by the time there's a third strike, it might be too late," Mittiga warned.

"We might have somebody who has a problem that actually has to be addressed."

Ten per cent of the population is going to be pre-disposed to addiction

Mittiga's recommendations comes as chief executive Andrew Demetriou said he is expecting a spike in positive tests when the next batch is collated.

Among Mittiga's recommendations are:

THAT a players' identity remains protected after the first strike, but that a psychological assessment is undertaken immediately by professionals trained in addiction

THAT those close to the player are notified after the first strike, so that a support network can be formed that include the players' family, coaches and support staff at the club - a miniature version of an intervention

THAT players are tested for a pre-dispositions to addiction early in their careers, before the club prescribes any legal - but still potentially addictive - medication. It is estimated 10 per cent of the population are have a gene that makes them particularly susceptive to addiction.

"If I was running a football club and one of these guys have a problem, I'd want to know immediately," Mittiga said.

"So that I could at least address the player, get him properly assessed and deal with it - rather than let it to go.

"You've got to look at this in perspective. These are young people, in their partying days and at times they use drugs.

"Ten per cent of the population is going to be pre-disposed to addiction.

"As a football club, as an industry that's right out there in the public eye, they need to know these things and intervene before it gets out of hand.

"And family, in particular - they need to know.

"I wouldn't just rely on club doctors - I would bring in experts.

But Mittiga dismissed of banning players after the first strike, likening that scenario to not allowing diabetics to play the game.

His advice was treatment when required, discipline when that was in order.

"But we remember these are young, emotionally immature people," Mittiga said. "And often what I see is their whole self value comes out of football.

"Some of them are vulnerable to these problems."

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