Melbourne champion Max Gawn has admitted “there are issues” at his club but does not believe there is a drugs problem.
The Demons are reeling from new charges laid against Gawn’s teammate Joel Smith that include trafficking or attempted trafficking of cocaine.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Joel Smith accused of cocaine trafficking.
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In a dramatic escalation on Tuesday, the league confirmed that Sports Integrity Australia (SIA) had charged Smith with three anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code over the alleged trafficking.
Gawn acknowledged the new charges were shocking, but the Demons captain staunchly defended his club.
“I’m not hiding — there are issues — and we will make sure we get that right. But there are going to be issues every single year, whether you guys (media) write about it or not,” he said at an AFL event on Wednesday.
It’s the latest blow in a tumultuous off-season for Melbourne, with several off-field issues keeping the club in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Smith has been provisionally suspended since October, when he was notified of a positive cocaine test following the Demons’ round-20 win over Hawthorn on August 20.
Asked on Wednesday if there was a culture of drug use at the club, Gawn was clear.
“Not in my opinion, no,” he said.
“It obviously is quite shocking. (But) all I can say is for 16 years I’ve been getting drug tested, for 10 years I’ve been getting hair tested.
“In that 10 years, I’ve never been told our club has a drug culture.
“Until I get told we have an issue or until I can see the issue myself, with my own eyes, I can only go off face value.”
Gawn and AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon noted the SIA investigation into the charges was ongoing and nothing had yet been proved.
After Melbourne crashed out of the finals in straight sets for the second-straight season, issues escalated around their star midfielder Clayton Oliver and Smith’s positive test also became public.
Amid other media reports about off-field problems at the club, chief executive Gary Pert claimed the club’s culture was “the best I’ve seen in 40 years”.
Gawn said: “I’d like to think I have a good grasp on our group and we’ve had an unbelievable summer, with the turmoil we’ve had over September and October.
“I’m incredibly bullish we have the right culture.”
Gawn spoke impressively at an AFL function on Wednesday morning, while noting he was limited given the ongoing investigation.
The Demons captain also said Tuesday night was the first he heard of the allegation that Smith had texted teammates in regards to cocaine.
Under the code, trafficking is defined as “selling, giving, transporting, sending, delivering or distributing a prohibited substance by an athlete … to any third party.”
Smith has also been notified of another ADRV for possession of cocaine on September 9, 2022.
He was already facing a maximum four-year ban under the AFL’s anti-doping code for his positive cocaine test.
It is unclear how much the additional charges could add to any suspension, or when that would be determined.
Smith will remain provisionally suspended and is unable to train or play with his teammates, and the AFL confirmed under the code the new asserted violations will be further investigated by SIA.
The 27-year-old’s matter could be heard at the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal, but there is no timeline on when that might happen.
