Is Andrew Johns a drug cheat?

[twopac]

I thought this was a good topic, please don't delete.
Got me thinking about the whole recreational drugs vs. performance enhancing drugs. During the interview he mentions that he couldn’t cope being a top grade footballer, so he turned to recreational drugs. In a way, isn’t that helping his performance? He needed the drugs to cope with the on and off field pressures that comes with first grade footy. If it wasn’t for the recreational drugs, would he still be as great as he was?

 

[kiwiqueenslander]

he still makes a mokery of the NRL drug system

 

[perverse]

by the sheer definition of the word cheat - yes. did the drugs help him with his on-field performances? probably not. had he been in a clean state of mind he could have dealt with the pressure in other ways - however drugs are rife and quite an easy escape - particularly when you are clinically depressed.

 

[goboggo]

No way.

Anyone that knows anything about drugs knows that there is no way that taking 'social' drugs will help performance.

The side effects would be far more costly than any supposed relaxation or escape he got.

You try to go out on Es and then perform to the best of your ability for the next 2-3 days. Your brain is mush. Joey said himself he'd sometimes stay in bed for 4 days - he couldn't train properly in those situations.

 

[twopac]

The real question is, without the drugs would Andrew Johns lasted a decade in the NRL?

 

[marshall stalin]

to be tested 17 times and not be discovered - questions have to be asked - were there tips offs etc

 

[perverse]

The real question is, without the drugs would Andrew Johns lasted a decade in the NRL?

the inverse question can also be asked - if it weren't for the drugs.. could we still be enjoying his football now?

 

[kiwiqueenslander]

to be tested 17 times and not be discovered - questions have to be asked - were there tips offs etc

*edit, unsibstantiated *

 

[twopac]

the inverse question can also be asked - if it weren't for the drugs.. could we still be enjoying his football now?

But he needed the drugs to cope with the pressure that came with being a first grader.

 

[Dr Crane]

While i agree that recreational drugs do not aid performance, a ban should still apply because of how stupid taking drugs is.

But the clubs and NRL need to support the average player who has probably lost his future, rather than hanging him out to dry.

 

[hindmarsh4pm]

Yes johns would have lasted 10 years, if drugs made him play that good, than there would be a hell of alot more players taking them drugs thats forsure lol

 

[twopac]

Yes johns would have lasted 10 years, if drugs made him play that good, than there would be a hell of alot more players taking them drugs thats forsure lol

Hindmarh is on drugs. It's called Fatblaster Max.

 

[hindmarsh4pm]

Hindmarh is on drugs. It's called Fatblaster Max.

hindy has to be on something, i don't know how he keeps running around that long without stopping hahaha

 

[perverse]

But he needed the drugs to cope with the pressure that came with being a first grader.

that's his perception - not the actual fact about the matter. that's what self medication is all about - you feel as though you need it to cope. had it been nipped in the butt around 1995 he may well have found other outlets for the pressure.

the truth is it's all just speculation - we will never know.

 

[Twizzle]

hindy has to be on something, i don't know how he keeps running around that long without stopping hahaha

have you seen the report on his ability to perform under fatigue situations

he is absolutely amazing

most people collapsed when he was still going

 

[Martli]

I agree with Perverse in that he is a cheat by definition--assuming that the definition of a cheat is someone who breaks the rules. But, strictly speaking, Andrew didn't break any of the rules that are in place to prevent a player from getting an unfair advantage; he broke a rule that is there to protect the reputation of the game.

Let's face it, recreational drugs are banned in the NRL because they are illegal and, like any other organisation, the NRL do not want to be associated with illegal behaviour. They are not banned because they allow a player to cope better with firstgrade as there are many other mechanisims out there (Kava for example) that can be utilised that don't bring the game into disrepute and that don't give a player an unfair advantage over other players.

Do I think he's a cheat? By strict definition: yes. Do I think his drug use gave him an unfair advantage over everyone else? Arguable, but leaning towards no if his drug use was purely recreational.

 

[God-King Dean]

No

In my books anyway

 

[parramaniac2516]

Im sorry but Alcohol is not Illegal and players aint allowed to have any of it in there System either while at training or during games. How do we know Johns didnt have any ectasy or other drugs in his system during games or at training.

 

[Perth Red]

Yes, by his own admission taking drugs helped him play the game better. Taking drugs is against the rules therefore he is a cheat.

Would meditation have helped just as much? Probably but he didn't choose that. Nobody forced the drugs into him, it was his choice, he knew the rules and chose to break them. Cheat, no doubts about it.

 

[goboggo]

that's his perception - not the actual fact about the matter. that's what self medication is all about - you feel as though you need it to cope. had it been nipped in the butt around 1995 he may well have found other outlets for the pressure.

the truth is it's all just speculation - we will never know.

Precisely. I firmly believe it would shorten his career. That's why people say "drugs are bad mmmkay".