TonyK
Tash Jayasinghe
CibbuanoCousins free to play
November 18th 2008 04:20
FORMER West Coast captain and recovering drug addict Ben Cousins has been given the all-clear to resume his football career by the AFL.
THE 2005 Brownlow medallist, who has been suspended for the past 12 months for bringing the game into disrepute following his much-publicised slide into drug addiction, is now free to be picked up by any club in either this month's national draft or next month's pre-season draft.
St Kilda remains the hot favourite to pick up the 30-year-old witn Brisbane reportedly the only other club seriously considering giving Cousins a second chance.
Cousins' return is subject to a series of strict conditions, announced by AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou on Tuesday.
Cousins will only be allowed to add to his distinguished 238 game career if:
*he goes to a club that has an appropriate drug and alcohol management program in place, which must be approved by the AFL Medical Officers' Association.
*be subject to three urine tests per week and four hair tests a year to see if he is drug free.
*co-operate fully with all AFL drug testers and not seek to delay, refuse or fail to provide samples.
*must attend any drug program as ordered to by the AFL.
*and should he post any positive drugs test, he will be stood down by the AFL pending the outcome of any investigation.
Demetriou said Cousins is making a 'real effort' to get his life back on track and that the league's medical advice was that Cousins' rehabilitation would be aided by allowing him to resume his career.
"Ben Cousins is making a real effort to be rehabilitated," Demetriou said..
"The medical advice we received says it would be helpful to him to be playing football again (but) in these situations there is nothing that is absolutely certain."
"All the medical evidence that was presented was that he is making a real effort to rehabilitate himself and get back to playing football and on that basis we wish him well."
"We have acted on the best medical advice and if he can play the rest of his career without any relapse that would be a great result."
THE 2005 Brownlow medallist, who has been suspended for the past 12 months for bringing the game into disrepute following his much-publicised slide into drug addiction, is now free to be picked up by any club in either this month's national draft or next month's pre-season draft.
St Kilda remains the hot favourite to pick up the 30-year-old witn Brisbane reportedly the only other club seriously considering giving Cousins a second chance.
Cousins will only be allowed to add to his distinguished 238 game career if:
*he goes to a club that has an appropriate drug and alcohol management program in place, which must be approved by the AFL Medical Officers' Association.
*be subject to three urine tests per week and four hair tests a year to see if he is drug free.
*co-operate fully with all AFL drug testers and not seek to delay, refuse or fail to provide samples.
*must attend any drug program as ordered to by the AFL.
*and should he post any positive drugs test, he will be stood down by the AFL pending the outcome of any investigation.
Demetriou said Cousins is making a 'real effort' to get his life back on track and that the league's medical advice was that Cousins' rehabilitation would be aided by allowing him to resume his career.
"Ben Cousins is making a real effort to be rehabilitated," Demetriou said..
"The medical advice we received says it would be helpful to him to be playing football again (but) in these situations there is nothing that is absolutely certain."
"All the medical evidence that was presented was that he is making a real effort to rehabilitate himself and get back to playing football and on that basis we wish him well."
"We have acted on the best medical advice and if he can play the rest of his career without any relapse that would be a great result."
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