Corruption, Addiction, and Gambling in the AFL

All sports have their fair share of controversy to a degree. It is hard to think of Mike Tyson without also thinking of Evander Holyfield’s ear, Lennox Lewis’s leg bite, and of course, that prison sentence.

Snooker has Ronnie O’ Sullivan who simultaneously gives the fans some outrageous snooker, but has been a complete wildcard at times per his behavior. The White Sox will always be linked to the match-fixing scandal from the World Series of 1919. Even squash has its share of villains and controversy.

Aussie rules football is no stranger to headlines for the wrong reasons either. Take the Ipswich player who received a 20-year ban for kicking an opponent in the head, four years ago.

Some of the tales from the AFL are still shocking, others show some real human tragedy. Here are some of the incidents that took up newspaper columns in a big way.

Why do sports get so much controversy?

Before Aussie rules gets looked at, what about sports in general, and why do they seem to attract trouble.

The obvious answer when it comes to corruption or match-fixing has to be money. Many types of sports today carry with them serious cash. Boxing, soccer, American football, baseball, and snooker, all have hefty amounts of cash behind them. Relegation can be potentially ruinous for soccer clubs, and ending high up in the league can be financially rewarding.

Boxing itself has long attracted the ‘wrong types’ to its sport. Back when Las Vegas was finding its feet, there was plenty of talk of fixed fights and boxers being paid to go down in a certain round.

There is a belief in certain quarters that there have been many soccer games fixed around the world, and the evidence with Juventus shows this could be true.

Another reason that players get mired in problems can be the pressure of modern-day sports. This has led to some high-profile names getting involved with gambling, alcohol, and drugs.

How popular is gambling in sports and the AFL?

Nowadays anyone can go to an online sports betting site such as LV BET and put some cash on the AFL, or rugby, or soccer. This convenience has led to a boom in online gambling and casino games.

For the most part, this is fine, but some people and some players have taken it to extremes. The English soccer leagues have supplied many UK tabloids with lurid stories of players’ gambling habits. The names involved are soccer royalty too; Peter Shilton, Paul Merson, Dietmar Hamman, Wayne Rooney, and erm, Joey Barton.

The latter was given an 18-month ban for breaking SFA betting rules, and there are tough rules in Aussie rules too.

While gambling is a popular activity, and it is one that many AFL players enjoy, it is strictly prohibited to bet on AFL games.

How many AFL players have been sanctioned for betting?

There have been numerous sanctions against not only players, but umpires, and coaching staff too, for gambling on AFL games.

The rules are very clear that no one employed in the AFL can place bets on any of the games. This is part of the anti-corruption laws that have been put in place to avoid a Black-Sox-type incident.

However, gambling among players is starting to be recognised as a serious problem. Just a year ago, Dayne Beams retired from the AFL and he has confirmed that he is battling a gambling addiction. Some believe that gambling is a far bigger crisis than drink or drugs.

Is there any corruption in the AFL?

There were allegations of match-fixing back in 2012. The Melbourne Demons were accused of tanking a number of games during the 2009 season and were investigated three years later.

Supposedly the plan was to tank a number of games to gain priority picks in the following season. Club staff and an ex-player confirmed the allegations, but the ensuing investigation found no evidence at all of match-fixing.

However, the coach and general manager were both found guilty of ‘acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the competition’. They were suspended and the club fined half a million AUD.

Is alcohol a problem for some AFL players?

Athletes today are a far cry from the old days in many ways. Sports from the past such as rugby, soccer, and Aussie rules, and their players, could easily be associated with a few pints down the pub.

Players back in the day enjoyed a few beers, some smoked, and diets weren’t the biggest consideration. Beer companies even sponsored football clubs and other sports.

Now though, soccer players such as Ronaldo, swear off the booze and stick to diets that are optimal for their health. This doesn’t mean that everyone follows the same path though.

Stress in personal life, past trauma, stress, and depression, can all lead a player to self-medicate. Earlier this year, ABC News reported online that Rod Owen almost died from his addictions while an AFL player.

Rod Owen’s alcohol, drug, and gambling addictions didn’t come from a love of partying gone wild though. They came from an untreated trauma from his past.

The Medical Journal of Australia found that during the on-season, most AFL players drank less than the average Australian man. However, during the off-season, the chance of causing long-term damage through high-risk drinking practices was much higher than the average man.

What have been the biggest scandals in Aussie rules?

One of the biggest scandals in Aussie rules to date has to be the 34 banned Bombers. In 2016, if you need reminding, 34 past and present Essendon players were banned from the sport for doping.

Despite how shocking this event was, many other moments have stood out from the past. One might actually be quite amusing when taken into today’s context.

Back in 1910, two players for Carlton took a bribe from a bookie to play dead during a game. How this was supposed to play out is anyone’s guess, but the players were banned for five years - a total of 99 games.

Essendon made the news back in 1980 too when one of their men decided to headbutt the boundary umpire. Phil Carman was given a 20-week suspension for his interpretation of the Glasgow kiss.

Even the AFL Player of the Century isn’t exempt from these moments. In 1985, Leigh Matthews was charged and convicted of assaulting an opposing player during a game.

Summary

Most of the scandals involving AFL have come from on-pitch violence. Dermott Brereton was banned for seven weeks, twice in one season, in 1994 for standing on one player’s head, and for breaking another’s jaw.

Scandals on the scale of Juventus’ match-fixing investigation, or the Black Sox, have been avoided in AFL and Aussie rules in general. However, there are plenty of other issues on more personal levels.

Alcohol, drugs, and gambling, have affected many players not just in Aussie rules, but in many sports. As the money in these games grows, the pressure can sometimes rest on the player’s shoulders. Of course, players have personal lives too, and sometimes these problems manifest themselves in addictions.

Gambling on the AFL for most luckily, is a harmless, enjoyable pursuit. And most fans can enjoy betting online at MGM or lvbet.com, but for AFL players, this is one activity that is best left alone.