jason's picture
Fri, 31/08/2007 - 12:13pm — jason

I read the following article about the Andrew Johns situation with great interest:

31/08/2007 8:40:00 AM.

AUDIO: We had our suspicions: Gallop
The NRL admits it heard rumours about Andrew Johns’ drug use, but did nothing about it.
The league great was only tested on average twice each season since 1998, even though Johns says the Knights were well aware of the problem.
Johns admits he often took ecstasy after Friday night matches.
NRL boss David Gallop insists the league did all it could.
“You hear rumours about a lot of issues in our game and a lot of players,” he said.
“The fact is you can only deal with the clear facts when you’ve got them in front of you, not rumours.”

So how does this explain the treatment of the Bulldogs Football Club in 2004? The NRL levelled a $500,000 fine on the club on the basis of rumours (including an incorrect police report read out by shock jock Ray Hadley on Sydney radio that was the subject of an internal police investigation).

A few questions for the NRL.

Was Johns a protected species due to his profile and the importance of his image to the game?

Will the Newcastle Rugby League Club now face sanctions for ‘bringing the game into disrepute’ over its knowledge of the Johns affair?

And will the revelation of the truth surrounding the Johns’ drug allegations now lead the NRL to investigate the other, less savoury, rumours that have floated around the game’s next immortal?

The stink of double standards is overwhelming.