Willie Rioli - banned substance

[Mofra]

Story breaking now - withdrawn from tomorrow night's final due to a PED issue.

Huge news if it's confirmed. Hagdorn already tweeting it.

[Sedat]

West Coke

[DOG GOD]

Urinal substitution ?? Tampling with samples....Possible 4 year ban.

[Mofra]

The irony is West Coast just beat Essendon and now face Geelong, both the Dank teams.

[Axe Man]

Urinal substitution ?? Tampling with samples....Possible 4 year ban.

Testing positive for pregnancy is what gave him away.

[ratsmac]

Oh boy. How's the AFEL going to cover this one up? Big interstate team and a big family name!

[bornadog]

Silly boy

[Axe Man]

What exactly is a prohibited method and why did it take this long to come out?

Willie Rioli's drug test shock: Eagle suspended indefinitely (https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-12/willie-riolis-drug-test-shock-eagle-suspended-indefinitely)

WEST Coast's Willie Rioli has been suspended indefinitely in relation to an ASADA test in late August.

The AFL late Thursday stood down the premiership-winning forward from Friday night's semi-final against Geelong at the MCG.

Rioli was advised of an adverse finding in the ASADA test - taken on August 20, two days after the Eagles' round 22 match against Richmond.

ASADA has alleged Rioli used a prohibited method to provide a sample for the test.

West Coast said in a statement: "The Eagles have been made aware that Willie Rioli is the subject of an ASADA and AFL investigation.

"The club is extremely disappointed that one of our players has been provisionally suspended while a matter is being investigated and it will comply fully and openly with ASADA and the AFL through the process.

"The club is fully committed to supporting Willie during what is a personally distressing time.

"Our primary concern is Willie's health and welfare.

"As this is an ongoing investigation the club, its staff and players can make no further comment until the investigation is completed.

"The West Coast Eagles fully supports the AFL and ASADA in its ideal of our game being drug free."

[comrade]

He’s been provisionally suspended for urine substitution and it’s still under investigation. AFL will somehow make this go away.

[Happy Days]

He’s been provisionally suspended for urine substitution and it’s still under investigation. AFL will somehow make this go away.

I think the opposite - that the AFL will take this somewhat easy kill and use it to make an example of Rioli to flex their muscle.

This is the first whiff of PEDs since Essendon and already it feels like the AFL are falling over themselves to show how compliant they are.

[Rocket Science]

Crap timing for anyone that wants to see the Cats bundled out this weekend.

Couldn't they have sat on this til Saturday? Bah.

[bulldogtragic]

At least his post retirement book now has a catchy tile:

" Willie Rioli: Taking the Piss "

[GVGjr]

I don't get why players think they need to take short cuts and cheat the system

It just raises doubts now on so many other players

[Grantysghost]

Has that club ever played by the rules?

[Grantysghost]

Testing positive for pregnancy is what gave him away.

Osteoporosis.


https://youtu.be/dBrH18VNG3w

[Dry Rot]

PED or recreational fun stuff?

[ratsmac]

Has that club ever played by the rules?
I doubt it. They always seem to have bigger bodies quicker than everyone else and we know they like to party so having help is not out of the ordinary.

[Throughandthrough]

So disappointed when I heard the news. I knew Willie personally and he was a shy, humble, polite and thankful young man from an amazingly tight knit and loving family. Hope he is ok.

[GVGjr]

This is as dodgy as. I suspect there should be a lot more to this. How did the sample get compromised?

[Grantysghost]

This is as dodgy as. I suspect there should be a lot more to this. How did the sample get compromised?

It's all shades of dodgy. You would expect there's more than Willie involved and that opens a scary can of worms. Not sure why it's taken so long either; August 18 was the date.

[bornadog]

According to Daniel Hartford could be The Whizzinator

[AndrewP6]

I don't get why players think they need to take short cuts and cheat the system

It just raises doubts now on so many other players

If they know they've broken the rules, they'll try to conceal it to keep their career intact. The question is, how are they so stupid to think it will work?

[Twodogs]

I don't get why players think they need to take short cuts and cheat the system

It just raises doubts now on so many other players

It will come as no surprise to many posters that I have had my own problems in the past with substance abuse-heroin, speed, cannabis, if you can get addicted to it then it's a fair chance I've had a problem with it. Taking drugs makes no sense at all and the first square heads say is "But it doesn't make any sense" but it's not going to make sense. It doesn't even make any sense to us.


PED or recreational fun stuff?

Tainted urine sample.

I have to go to a doctor and piss in a cup every month. The last time I did I noticed that they had put up a sign saying that they needed a gram's weight and that a gram weighs roughly the same as a paper clip. I had to laugh that they were taking the trouble to explain to a bunch of junkies how heavy a gram felt like in your hand. We are junkies! If there is one thing we do know it is exactly how much a gram feels like in the hand!! We are experts in it!!!

[Scraggers]

At least his post retirement book now has a catchy tile:

" Willie Rioli: Taking the Piss "

It is so un-Australian to ban someone for taking the piss ... political correctness gone mad

[GVGjr]

It's all shades of dodgy. You would expect there's more than Willie involved and that opens a scary can of worms. Not sure why it's taken so long either; August 18 was the date.

Scary stuff to think an inspector who has to watch the player complete the sample and label it etc before sending it off to be tested has somehow managed to stuff it up
My conspiracy tendencies can see the opportunity for a few people to be involved in this scam

[Twodogs]

Scary stuff to think an inspector who has to watch the player complete the sample and label it etc before sending it off to be tested has somehow managed to stuff it up
My conspiracy tendencies can see the opportunity for a few people to be involved in this scam

The inspector or nurse or whoever tends to turn their back because the pressure to perform when they are standing there staring at you can make it a bit hard. So while they physically may be in the cubicle with you they may as well be standing outside.

That's if they come with you in the first place. Usually they will hand you the cup inside a bag and you put it back in (surprisingly they aren't that keen to be touching jars that may have urine streaked down the outside of them) and you hand it back with the urine in the cup already inside the plastic bag.

[Grantysghost]

The inspector or nurse or whoever tends to turn their back because the pressure to perform when they are standing there staring at you can make it a bit hard. So while they physically may be in the cubicle with you they may as well be standing outside.

That's if they come with you in the first place. Usually they will hand you the cup inside a bag and you put it back in (surprisingly they aren't that keen to be touching jars that may have urine streaked down the outside of them) and you hand it back with the urine in the cup already inside the plastic bag.

Wonder how they picked up irregularities?

[GVGjr]

The inspector or nurse or whoever tends to turn their back because the pressure to perform when they are standing there staring at you can make it a bit hard. So while they physically may be in the cubicle with you they may as well be standing outside.

My understanding is they actually are not supposed to turn away during the sample collection process.
I'm reading through the WADA details now

[bulldogtragic]

Wonder how they picked up irregularities?

Seinfeld, season 7, episode 15, covers the science of picking up urine irregularities quite well (leaving the hilarity to one side).

[Twodogs]

Wonder how they picked up irregularities?

The irregularity would have shown up in the first screening. I'm guessing (with no proof) that Willie has bought a supposedly clean sample off of somebody and has gotten ripped off.


My understanding is they actually are not supposed to turn away during the sample collection process.
I'm reading through the WADA details now

Yeah, nah, they aren't supposed to but a toilet cubicle is an unforgivably small spot for two people to fit into especially when one of them is supposed to be urinating into a cup. Usually what they do is watch you set up, leave while you actually do the deed then come back in before you have a chance to pull a swifty.

[divvydan]

Behind paywall so can't see but looks like Herald Sun is claiming Rioli diluted his pee with an energy drink whilst giving the sample.

[mjp]

It says this: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/west-coasts-willie-rioli-provisionally-suspended/news-story/03b3c8881ed6cc333792f290526e4255


West Coast Eagles livewire Willie Rioli was caught pouring a liquid — possibly an energy drink — into a drug-test beaker in a panicked *!attempt to dupe anti-doping officers.

Rioli, 24, is out of tomorrow’s semi-final showdown against Geelong at the MCG after being suspended on Wednesday night over an “adverse analytical finding” that there was a “urine substitution”.

Rioli had been caught by two Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority officers overseeing a test in Perth on August 20, insiders say, amid speculation that the substance was an *!energy drink.

“He tried to manipulate his sample on-site and got caught red-handed,” a source said.

Rioli would then have been forced to provide a legitimate sample, the *!test results of which had not yet been revealed, the insider added.

Rioli will remain sidelined until a joint ASADA-AFL investigation is completed. He faces a maximum four-year ban.

Rioli during a West Coast training session on August 20 — the day of the test. Picture: AAP
Rioli during a West Coast training session on August 20 — the day of the test. Picture: AAP
The urine test on the small forward was conducted two days after the *!Eagles lost to Richmond in Round 22 at the MCG on August 18. “It’s something other than urine that has been produced by Willie as part of the testing process,” Eagles football boss Craig Vozzo confirmed tonight after the AFL revealed the suspension.

Under ASADA’s strict testing code, players are required to provide a minimum of 90ml of urine, which is immediately poured into A and B sample bottles. These are securely shut and can only be reopened by a special lab machine.

Rioli’s mobile phone was confiscated by the Eagles, with the club reeling over the shock suspension and his management said to be “in the dark”. He had flown to *!Melbourne with teammates on Wednesday and was informed of the *!suspension by league investigators on the team’s arrival at the Parkview Hotel on St Kilda Rd.



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Addressing a snap press conference, Vozzo said Rioli would not have been able to play even if he had not been ruled out.


Richard Ings
@ringsau
In regard to the Willie Rioli announcement, he has not tested positive to a banned substance. The AFL presser is that his sample allegedly shows urine substitution. So it is more a tampering /substitution allegation.

A most serious allegation.

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“He is very, very flat. He’s a little bit of a mess,” Vozzo said.

“The club and staff are really *!worried about his wellbeing. He is not in a great space and it’s our job to help him as best as we can.”

“The state he is in now, I don’t know if he would be able to play,” said Vozzo.

Asked what Rioli was *!alleged to have done, he said it would be the subject of a “detailed inquiry” that would unfold over many weeks.

Rioli had left the team ahead of tomorrow nights’s match, Vozzo said, but he would not reveal if he was still in Melbourne.

West Coast said it is committed to supporting Rioli through the investigation. Picture: Getty
West Coast said it is committed to supporting Rioli through the investigation. Picture: Getty
Given Rioli was caught more than three weeks ago, questions have been raised as to why he was able to play two more AFL games, including the knockout final against *!Essendon, before being *!suspended.

AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said tonight: “The provisional suspension is effective immediately. Rioli will not be eligible to compete in AFL competitions or any WADA-compliant sport including the WAFL while provisionally suspended.

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“He will be able to train prior to final determination of the asserted code violation.”

The Eagles have engaged top silk David Grace, QC, who represented the Essendon 34 during the Bombers’ drug scandal.

An ASADA spokesman said: “This is an operational matter and as such we won’t be making a comment at this stage.” The Eagles were out from $1.90 to $2 with bookmaker TAB for tomorrow’s clash with Geelong.

Rioli has played 14 games this year, averaging 6.6 score involvements and kicking 18 goals.

The speedster kicked one goal in each of West Coast’s three finals last year, including the Grand Final.
HOW IT UNFOLDED
August 18 - Willie Rioli kicks two goals in the Eagles’ six-point, Round 22 loss to Richmond at the MCG

August 20 - Drug test conducted

August 24 - Rioli boots three goals in a shock 38-point Round 23 loss to Hawthorn in Perth

September 5 - Rioli has 15 possessions in a 55-point win over Essendon in the first Elimination Final in Perth

Wednesday - ASADA informs the AFL of the result of Rioli’s drug test and Rioli is formally notified of his suspension upon arriving in Melbourne

Today at 4.20pm - News breaks of Rioli’s “adverse analytical finding for urine substitution’’ and subsequent suspension

[bulldogtragic]

Behind paywall so can't see but looks like Herald Sun is claiming Rioli diluted his pee with an energy drink whilst giving the sample.

Serious? :D No. No. No. Really? Tested positive for Red Bull? The suspension needs to be for stupidity. 4 years minimum ban. That could be one of the stupidest things I've heard, ever. Ever. Fizzy urine, how do you explain fizzy urine? Like, cmon.

[comrade]

He would have been better off pouring a VB into the test tube. At least it tastes like piss...

[Axe Man]

If he was caught red handed pouring Red Bull into his urine sample almost a month ago why has he still been playing?

Surely he is provisionally suspended immediately, regardless of what any testing later reveals.

[GVGjr]

Seems like a desperate move by a very desperate player. Going by the code he should get suspended for 4 years

I hope he has good support people around him

[Twodogs]

Seems like a desperate move by a very desperate player. Going by the code he should get suspended for 4 years

I hope he has good support people around him

The crazy thing is if he had an illegal drug in his system then he would have been fine. But have a sports drink in the sample and you're gone!

[bulldogtragic]

The crazy thing is if he had an illegal drug in his system then he would have been fine. But have a sports drink in the sample and you're gone!

It’s not the crime, it’s the cover up...

Also depends if he has any strikes. The most generous reading might be it was going to be a third strike and he rolled the dice thinking the penalty was the same. Maybe?!?

[Twodogs]

It’s not the crime, it’s the cover up...

Also depends if he has any strikes. The most generous reading might be it was going to be a third strike and he rolled the dice thinking the penalty was the same. Maybe?!?


Nixon?

[jeemak]

It will come as no surprise to many posters that I have had my own problems in the past with substance abuse-heroin, speed, cannabis, if you can get addicted to it then it's a fair chance I've had a problem with it. Taking drugs makes no sense at all and the first square heads say is "But it doesn't make any sense" but it's not going to make sense. It doesn't even make any sense to us.?


Without turning into one of "those" threads, this part isn't actually true and I think deep down you don't mean that.

Yeah I do. I may not be getting my point across very well but I mean what I mean. Remember I am looking at it from a squarehead's point of view.


This is such a weird story. If you're looking for something that doesn't make sense substituting urine with whatever type of substance is certainly it. Unless of course it does and it's done all the time and we just don't know about it and the players do.

The substitution makes no sense whatsoever. Although panic (in the streets of London...) causes people to make poor choices. Maybe Willie was only half paying attention in the meeting they discussed this in and was thinking "Shit, shit, shit, WTF did they say? ohhhh why didn't I pay attention"

[westdog54]

It’s not the crime, it’s the cover up...

Also depends if he has any strikes. The most generous reading might be it was going to be a third strike and he rolled the dice thinking the penalty was the same. Maybe?!?

Do ASADA conduct the 'Out-of-Competition' tests on the AFL's behalf or are they done separately to ASADA's testing?

[bulldogtragic]

Do ASADA conduct the 'Out-of-Competition' tests on the AFL's behalf or are they done separately to ASADA's testing?

My understanding is that ASADA do that testing too, within the scope of the policy. With Crossly (GCS) this year getting done for cocaine in his system after a NEAFL game (4 year ban he's facing) maybe a general fear of whatever was exactly in his system created a panic and now he's at where he's at. How many drunk drivers have you charged for refusing a breath test who may have been thinking refusing the test would be a better option (assuming it's still 24 months loss of licence) when if they just did the test in 99% of cases would've been much better off. That nagging guilty mind can make humans make poor choices, like in Willie's case apparently.

[Throughandthrough]

Not related to Willie, but apparently asada testing has been updated and from this year they can find any coke in the system from back to ten days before, used to be only two days. And apparently not all players are aware of the improved testing abilities

[Grantysghost]

Not related to Willie, but apparently asada testing has been updated and from this year they can find any coke in the system from back to ten days before, used to be only two days. And apparently not all players are aware of the improved testing abilities

Interesting. There's been a few players take unscheduled breaks this season, the cynic in me always wonders. (Beams, Stevens).

[Mofra]

Interesting. There's been a few players take unscheduled breaks this season, the cynic in me always wonders. (Beams, Stevens).
There certainly were a lot more shaved heads in the year that follicle testing was introduced.

[bornadog]

A video released on Willi giving his sample:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=239&v=HV4y3sQUaOw

[The Pie Man]

So many questions.

One which has already been asked is how has he been allowed to play two games since if he was busted on the day?

One other question for anyone with clues - in individual sport, if you test positive (or breach) you hand back results - in this instance (and others previously in all team sports) why do the results still stand if you had a player in breach?

[Rocket Science]

So many questions.

One which has already been asked is how has he been allowed to play two games since if he was busted on the day?

One other question for anyone with clues - in individual sport, if you test positive (or breach) you hand back results - in this instance (and others previously in all team sports) why do the results still stand if you had a player in breach?

Not that Rioli out would've made a speck of difference but shout out to Bombre fans suggesting THEY should now be playing Geelong tonight instead of the OTHER bunch of substance cheats.

[mjp]

So many questions.

One which has already been asked is how has he been allowed to play two games since if he was busted on the day?


‘Cos the asada official still has to submit the sample as it was given to him - the ‘a’ sample specifically - and the ‘b’ sample is set aside. So whatever happens, he needs to submit the sample for testing and the testing takes a few weeks. And until the afl found out - apparently Wednesday- what could they do? The same applies to west coast who also seem to have been caught unawares...clearly rioli didn’t tell them!

[The Pie Man]

Not that Rioli out would've made a speck of difference but shout out to Bombre fans suggesting THEY should now be playing Geelong tonight instead of the OTHER bunch of substance cheats.

(BT voice) woahhh boy

[The Pie Man]

‘Cos the asada official still has to submit the sample as it was given to him - the ‘a’ sample specifically - and the ‘b’ sample is set aside. So whatever happens, he needs to submit the sample for testing and the testing takes a few weeks. And until the afl found out - apparently Wednesday- what could they do? The same applies to west coast who also seem to have been caught unawares...clearly rioli didn’t tell them!

Thank you - I just read the Richard Ings clarification on this which echoes the above.

I just don't get the process with this - imagine the scene....Willie pours something into the cup, tester sees him, they exchange awkward eye contact, then tester grabs the cup and says 'right Willie, thanks for your time, I'll be on my way'

All the while, Willie thinks 'surely that guy saw me.....mustn't have....sweet!'

Then he plays 2 games while in breach of the code - which clearly only brings his participation into question and not any potential result....which aside from laughing at Essendon fans in this scenario, I kinda see their point!

What a mess

[Grantysghost]

Thank you - I just read the Richard Ings clarification on this which echoes the above.

I just don't get the process with this - imagine the scene....Willie pours something into the cup, tester sees him, they exchange awkward eye contact, then tester grabs the cup and says 'right Willie, thanks for your time, I'll be on my way'

All the while, Willie thinks 'surely that guy saw me.....mustn't have....sweet!'

Then he plays 2 games while in breach of the code - which clearly only brings his participation into question and not any potential result....which aside from laughing at Essendon fans in this scenario, I kinda see their point!

What a mess

Asada mustn't have a policy for that level of stupid.

[jeemak]

Yeah I do. I may not be getting my point across very well but I mean what I mean. Remember I am looking at it from a squarehead's point of view.



The substitution makes no sense whatsoever. Although panic (in the streets of London...) causes people to make poor choices. Maybe Willie was only half paying attention in the meeting they discussed this in and was thinking "Shit, shit, shit, WTF did they say? ohhhh why didn't I pay attention"

What the hell happened to our posts?

[Topdog]

Funny to see Slobbo claiming it is impossible and must have been an ASADA/WADA stuff up

[Mofra]

Funny to see Slobbo claiming it is impossible and must have been an ASADA/WADA stuff up
He's going on what players think - you have to pull your pants down to the knees and your top up to the armpit to avoid a fake penis/bladder beign used.

Hard to imagine how Willie either did it or thought he'd get away with it.

[Jeanette54]

Urinal substitution ?? Tampling with samples....Possible 4 year ban.

Unless you are a Chinese swimmer of course. Willie you are an idiot.... you should have used a hammer.

[Topdog]

Unless you are a Chinese swimmer of course. Willie you are an idiot.... you should have used a hammer.

That only works if the tester doesn't bring their ID

[bornadog]

If Rioli is guilty, he should cop the full force of the law. No sympathy

[Axe Man]

Unless you are a Chinese swimmer of course. Willie you are an idiot.... you should have used a hammer.

Careful - I'm sure the Chinese are monitoring this site and could shut us down. All hail the PRC!

[GVGjr]

They've just been talking about a couple of scenario's on SEN

The main point is that the inspector would not have cautioned the player about providing a compromised sample rather it's his/her job to just report that the sample has been compromised. The responsibility is on the player to provide the sample and to make sure it's labelled correctly. If the player pours the contents of a sports drink into the cup then that's his decision.

Clearly they (SEN) feel that Rioli panicked and the scenarios they went through indicated this would likely occur when a player had taken something they shouldn't have 3 days or so prior to the test being sprung on them.
They also talked about players that potentially might have been on one or two strikes

While I'm hopeful justice will prevail here the whole 3 strikes policy the AFL has in place is far too lenient. I doubt many players learn to much from the first strike but some might get serious once they have recorded a second

Rioli's message on facebook is apologetic but also indicates that he's been through tougher times including bullying, depression and life support.

He's flown to the Tiwi islands and thankfully someone from West Coast is with him as support.

It will be interesting to hear how this plays out

[AndrewP6]

If Rioli is guilty, he should cop the full force of the law. No sympathy

Absolutely. No time for cheats.

[jeemak]

They've just been talking about a couple of scenario's on SEN

The main point is that the inspector would not have cautioned the player about providing a compromised sample rather it's his/her job to just report that the sample has been compromised. The responsibility is on the player to provide the sample and to make sure it's labelled correctly. If the player pours the contents of a sports drink into the cup then that's his decision.

Clearly they (SEN) feel that Rioli panicked and the scenarios they went through indicated this would likely occur when a player had taken something they shouldn't have 3 days or so prior to the test being sprung on them.
They also talked about players that potentially might have been on one or two strikes

While I'm hopeful justice will prevail here the whole 3 strikes policy the AFL has in place is far too lenient. I doubt many players learn to much from the first strike but some might get serious once they have recorded a second

Rioli's message on facebook is apologetic but also indicates that he's been through tougher times including bullying, depression and life support.

He's flown to the Tiwi islands and thankfully someone from West Coast is with him as support.

It will be interesting to hear how this plays out

What type of penalty system backed by scientific evidence and expert and academic advice would you recommend G?

[westdog54]

My understanding is that ASADA do that testing too, within the scope of the policy. With Crossly (GCS) this year getting done for cocaine in his system after a NEAFL game (4 year ban he's facing) maybe a general fear of whatever was exactly in his system created a panic and now he's at where he's at. How many drunk drivers have you charged for refusing a breath test who may have been thinking refusing the test would be a better option (assuming it's still 24 months loss of licence) when if they just did the test in 99% of cases would've been much better off. That nagging guilty mind can make humans make poor choices, like in Willie's case apparently.

It still is and it still astounds me the number of 'refuses' I get.

This is one of those times where you've got to sit back and think "How the *!*!*!*! did he think he'd get away with it?"

[ledge]

It still is and it still astounds me the number of 'refuses' I get.

This is one of those times where you've got to sit back and think "How the *!*!*!*! did he think he'd get away with it?"

Do you still blow or is it just count to ten nowadays as I haven’t been caught for years. Oops Umm I mean pulled up.
Only one I get is the mouth swab and count to ten one in the workplace.

[westdog54]

Vic does not have the 'Count to ten' instruments that NSW have, and even they are followed up with a blow into the straw if there is an indication.

For a refuse, when the driver refuses the test an explanation of the potential consequences is given, at which time the demand for the test is restated. If the driver refuses again, offence complete.

That applies at any stage of the process. There is an offence for:

Refusing a preliminary breath test
Refusing to accompany for an evidentiary breath test
Refuse to remain for a breath test
Refuse evidentiary breath test.

All carry an automatic 2 year loss of licence.

[GVGjr]

What type of penalty system backed by scientific evidence and expert and academic advice would you recommend G?

I really don't know but I don't think showing the leniency of having the 3 strikes is minimising players taking things they shouldn't be. Certainly the education path that the clubs and AFL have in place isn't working to the level they would have hoped for.
If that is the case then it's pointless dragging it out. The fact that clubs that are the employer of the player are kept in the dark doesn't help either

Back to Rioli, I hope we hear why he thought he needed to tamper with sample.

[Topdog]

The beauty of the 3 strike policy for the AFEL is that it completely hides everything.
As everything is secret, nothing can be investigated, no claims can be verified. It's perfect for the AFEL.

[GVGjr]

The beauty of the 3 strike policy for the AFEL is that it completely hides everything.
As everything is secret, nothing can be investigated, no claims can be verified. It's perfect for the AFEL.

Transparency and consistency of how they apply their rules in regards to the 3 strike policy isn't a strong point

[Happy Days]

The beauty of the 3 strike policy for the AFEL is that it completely hides everything.
As everything is secret, nothing can be investigated, no claims can be verified. It's perfect for the AFEL.

Hmm okay, but what about the farcical nature of young people being vilified for taking non-performance enhancing drugs that are totally removed from their footballing lives?

Sure it can be indicative of far more severe issues (i.e: Travis Tuck), but for the most part illicit drug use is better dealt with through better drug education and in many cases approaches leaning towards harm minimisation. I actually believe that keeping initial strikes in-house yet punitive is a more considerate approach to the well-being of players than demanding everything be publicised.

Then again, baying for blood over players taking non-PED drugs has always been pretty ridiculous and unrealistic to me so I guess your mileage may vary with my opinion.

[Rocket Science]

Transparency and consistency of how they apply their rules in regards to LITERALLY ANYTHING isn't a strong point

Fixed!

[Topdog]

Hmm okay, but what about the farcical nature of young people being vilified for taking non-performance enhancing drugs that are totally removed from their footballing lives?

Sure it can be indicative of far more severe issues (i.e: Travis Tuck), but for the most part illicit drug use is better dealt with through better drug education and in many cases approaches leaning towards harm minimisation. I actually believe that keeping initial strikes in-house yet punitive is a more considerate approach to the well-being of players than demanding everything be publicised.

Then again, baying for blood over players taking non-PED drugs has always been pretty ridiculous and unrealistic to me so I guess your mileage may vary with my opinion.

It's such a big deal because of the secrecy around it.

All the US sports are open with the information and there is no vilification of players

[Twodogs]

It's such a big deal because of the secrecy around it.

All the US sports are open with the information and there is no vilification of players

It's only NFL that aren't part of the WADA drug testing isn't it? It's because they don't take any federal government money.

I think that MBL and NHL and the rest are still subject to drug rules.

[Happy Days]

It's such a big deal because of the secrecy around it.

All the US sports are open with the information and there is no vilification of players

That's not right. OJ Mayo and Tyreke Evans have effectively been banned for life from the NBA for substance abuse, and players get the hammer thrown down on them in the NFL for positive tests for marijuana (which is widely used to help deal with the brutal nature of the game rather than "performance enhancement" or whatever).

The attitudes in US sports towards illicit drugs are incredibly disciplinarian and can't be said to meet any of the intended aims of any right-minded drug testing policy.

[GVGjr]

Apparently Rioli tampered with the sample out of frustration he couldn't provide the sample because he was dehydrated.

[bulldogtragic]

Apparently Rioli tampered with the sample out of frustration he couldn't provide the sample because he was dehydrated.

If you believe that I’ve got a cup of warm apple juice to sell you.

[Flamethrower]

It's only NFL that aren't part of the WADA drug testing isn't it? It's because they don't take any federal government money.

I think that MBL and NHL and the rest are still subject to drug rules.

Major League Baseball are not with WADA - they have their own testing regime and their suspensions for positive tests are not as draconian as WADA's. First positive = 80 games (half a season). Second = 162 games (full season). Third = lifetime ban.

Funny that the 1st thing I thought when I heard about Rioli substituting a sports drink for urine was that he was having trouble producing a sample, and in frustration he just poured the drink into the sample cup. And that is what the Eagles are running with as his excuse.

[Topdog]

Funnily my brother was talking about how he had a tester stay with him for nearly 30 minutes whilst my brother kept drinking water until he could produce something.

It's a very very poor excuse

[Twodogs]

If you believe that I’ve got a cup of warm apple juice to sell you.

Can I show you this very attractive bridge that we have just listed.

If you don't mention it to anyone else then I might be able to sell it to you at a discount...

[bulldogtragic]

Rioli has now registered another positive/problematic test. 6 days before his energy drink piss test, he tested positive for cannabis which ASADA count as a banned substance.

Robbo & the tin foil hat army have got to come up with another conspiracy theory before Rioli is well and truly wiped out by ASADA.



Read the official AFL statement below:

The AFL has confirmed that William Rioli of the West Coast Eagles has been notified of a further Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) and a potential violation of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (Code) in respect of a test conducted by ASADA on September 5, 2019.

The test was conducted following the West Coast Eagles’ elimination final against Essendon.

The September 5, 2019 sample has tested positive for a metabolite of cannabis, which is an In-Competition Prohibited Substance under the Code.

On September 11, 2019 Rioli was notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding for Urine Substitution being a Prohibited Method under the Code following an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 20 August 2019.

The West Coast Eagles have been made aware of this finding and will continue to provide support for Rioli.

It is important that Rioli be provided a fair process. As a result, the AFL will not be providing further detail on this case at this time.

[westdog54]

Yeah, he ain’t playing for a long time.

[Mofra]

12 months for the pot, but it's 4 years for tampering with a urine sample.

He's 24 now, that's virtually career over. Shame that we lose a Rioli from the game.

[Axe Man]

12 months for the pot, but it's 4 years for tampering with a urine sample.

He's 24 now, that's virtually career over. Shame that we lose a Rioli from the game.

Fortunately for him any penalty will be concurrent. Worst case scenario is still 4 years.

[Axe Man]

Perhaps an AFL career isn't for Willie?

Banned Eagles forward charged with drug possession (https://www.afl.com.au/news/612030/banned-eagles-forward-charged-with-drug-possession)

WEST Coast premiership forward Willie Rioli will face court in Darwin on Wednesday after allegedly being caught with cannabis in the Northern Territory.

It is understood Rioli was due to fly from Darwin to the Tiwi Islands on April 23 when he was allegedly stopped by a drug detection dog at Darwin Airport.

Northern Territory local court lists show Rioli will face court on Wednesday morning charged with possessing a schedule 2 dangerous drug in a quantity less than traffickable (less than 50 grams) in a public place.

Rioli had been planning to fly to Perth in late April before putting his return on hold due to the state's snap lockdown following an outbreak of COVID-19.

The 2018 premiership star is free to train with the Eagles from June 20 and play AFL from August 20 after receiving a backdated two-year ban earlier this year after tampering with a urine sample in 2019.

It is understood West Coast received confirmation of Rioli's impending court date on Tuesday morning, and club officials will meet to formulate a response.

Both the Eagles and the AFL have been contacted for comment.

[Happy Days]

Hard to feel anything but sorry for him when you have guys playing with literal sexual assault charges, but this “random” search and minor personal use charge will likely end his career.

[1eyedog]

Poor bugger. Has to make better decisions, I mean, weed is everywhere and is on the cusp of legality (and is less dangerous to others than alcohol), but he has to be smarter than this.

[Twodogs]

Poor bugger. Has to make better decisions, I mean, weed is everywhere and is on the cusp of legality (and is less dangerous to others than alcohol), but he has to be smarter than this.

Agreed on all points.

There's a story about a well known Melbourne (not Melbourne footy club, Melbourne the city) music industry figure who was stopped at Tullamarine airport a few years ago with 38 individually weighed grams of cannabis from the US in his luggage. Not only was he not charged but barely anyone knows about it. He's white (he was white, he's dead now) though.

[hujsh]

Saw the headline on Reddit that he had a 'dangerous substance' which is the absolute least charitable way to say 'a bit of weed' imaginable.

[Ghost Dog]

One gets the feeling Australia will be one of the last places pot is legalized. Like Gay marriage we are so far behind.
Very sad to hear this.

[divvydan]

So, hypothetically, WCE cut him loose due to trust issues and having Liam Ryan already playing his role, would anyone here have an interest in us picking up Willie Rioli?

[bornadog]

So, hypothetically, WCE cut him loose due to trust issues and having Liam Ryan already playing his role, would anyone here have an interest in us picking up Willie Rioli?

Yes please, he would be a small forward we are looking for. Need Travis to take him under his wing.

[bulldogtragic]

So, hypothetically, WCE cut him loose due to trust issues and having Liam Ryan already playing his role, would anyone here have an interest in us picking up Willie Rioli?

A few conditions, including but not limited to:

- passing a full physical
- a clean drug test
- chat with our sports psych
- interview with Power, Bevo, Bonts, Varcoe and a couple of others
- base salary
- one year deal
- trigger for a second with a laundry list of things being met
- strict code of conduct & expectations
- DFA acquisition, no trade made

If all those things (& possibly more) were ticked off, I could live with it.

[jeemak]

I'd probably leave out the laundry list of things being met to trigger a second year and keep it simple with one or two key goals. After his time out of the game a softer introduction to professional footy would lead to better results in my view.

Behavioural stuff is a bit different. There's non-negotiables that he needs to meet, but he's also got to be part of a team and I don't think you can hold him to any stricter account than you can his team mates. He probably just has less rope if he stuffs up.