Today I sat down & watched the Sandor Earl interview. Whilst I don't normally like to form an opinion based on only hearing one side of the story, Stephen Dank is MIA during this whole saga which looks dodgy to me.
It's easy to say in hindsight that it was so obvious that the wrong thing was going on. You do need to remember though that we all are getting this information all at once. We have the luxury of being able to recall on our knowledge of what has happened in the past. The story that we have been told happened over a period of time & all of the little things that happened along the way wouldn't have been fresh in Sandor's mind. If you think you're doing the right thing, you wouldn't think too much about it.
Stephen Dank made comments on how Sandor could have ceased treatment at any time. He is an adult & makes his own decisions & could have said no. Of course he could have said no, but why would he? He was told that this was not a banned substance so why would he turn down treatment?
The onus is on the players to check what is being put in their body, and all players will be checking now. However, when this happened back in 2011, there had been no previous cases like this. It's easy for us to say now that Sandor should have checked; well hindsight is a lovely thing. Players trust their coaches, their medical staff & in this case their sports scientist consultants. Especially after they ask the question & are told it's not a banned substance.
The trafficking charge is a bit ridiculous in my opinion. By no means has Sandor supplied other players with drugs & partake in a systematic drug ring. All he did was take the vials to the doctor to be administered. It's the trafficking charge that could see him get a life ban. I really don't think the punishment fits the crime in this case.
Stephen Dank may think he's being used as the scapegoat by the NRL & the AFL but I believe it's Sandor that's the scapegoat. His case is different to the others. He's no longer at the club where this happened. He's not part of a club that's being accused of systematic drug use. He doesn't have a club fighting for him. He is a single person & an easy target.
During the interview on the Footy Show, Karl interviewed Sandor's mother. It's at this stage where it really brings home that Sandor is just a young kid & is only human like the rest of us. He's just a young kid trying to live his dream & it could now all be gone. It makes you realise what type of affect this situation has on the families involved. These players might be professional athletes but as I have said in previous blogs; they're only human just like the rest of us.
It saddened me to hear the affect this situation had on Sandor's final year at Canberra. He didn't want to play any more, he had had enough. This is a young kid who was realising his dream of being a first grade footballer & he no longer wanted to play.
In my opinion based on Sandor's interview, the only thing he is guilty of is being naive & trusting someone he shouldn't have. I truly don't believe he should receive a ban for this. I don't believe he knowingly took a banned substance. Let's hope ASADA & the NRL don't try & make an example of Sandor. I really do hope to see him back in the NRL one day.
Love,
@LadiesWhoLeague
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