This is crap! The footballers are taken out of society and held as being special people. They behave with impunity in public without being answerable to the law like the rest of us.

They can have sex with any woman they like, whether she consents or not, bexcause it is their right - and they are not investigaed by the police like the rest of us but have the matters dealt with by their clubs.

They are given special treatment in spheres outside football and complain when their egregious behaviour attracts public criticism. They are led to believe that they are above the rest of society and that is reflected in their attitude to complying with the law - but we do not prosecute them.

Just look at Johns. What contempt he had for everyone - he used drugs for several years and now comes out and says "Oh - yeah. I did that. Yeah" And what message comes out of that mess - that footballers can do as they like.

They are not part of the society because they hold themseolves as not beloning to it or as being subject the the rules by which society lives. It is hypocritical of them and the author to complain if society is highly critical of them.

Who cares?

Big difference here between the employers that provide jobs to you and me and AFL / NRL clubs is that the clubs provide lawyers to the players.

If I was to be suspected of criminal activity would my employer organise a lawyer for me? Not likely, but to remember the Bulldogs suspected of sexual assault is to remember the club lawyers.

Perhaps, in the interest of considering that a conflict of interest may be involved when a football club of any code, or indeed any sporting club or association, organises and pays for a lawyer for a player, clubs should be banned from providing lawyers.

Each player should arrange their own legal representation. Or perhaps the players association should do this, rather than the clubs. After all, the players are meant to be adults aren't they?

I find the hysteria surrounding the whole recreational drugs in sport issue amazing. It is so boring and so un-inspiring to see just what a witch hunt this whole issue is in todays saddly idiotic society.

I find it so lame that not one single politician, journalist or public commentator ever has the balls to point out to totally obvious: That it is in fact prohibition that is causing the problem not comparitively less harmful recreational drug use in itself.

The fact is most 'illicit' drugs are actually substantially less harmful that alcohol and tobacco. Clearly you can use drugs like ecstacy on a recreational basis and actually be an elite sports person.

I (and almost everyone I know) sure as hell didn't get the memo about recreational drugs ruining your life. We must have all got the same one Johns and Cousins did. It is actually the insane persuit of this witch hunt of a 'war on drugs' which has ruined these footballers not the drugs at all!