Banned New Zealand Warriors players admit taking prescription drugs

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lsz

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New Zealand Warriors rugby league players, banned from playing for the Kiwis and dropped to reserve grade, admitted to mixing prescription drugs with energy drinks on a night on the town, after they were part of the 42-0 loss to Melbourne Storm on Anzac Day.

The players have also been punished for breaching club standards, amid concerns for their health.

New Zealand Rugby League interim chief executive Alex Hayton confirmed to New Zealand's Radio Sport that his organisation was given information from the Warriors that Manu Vatuvei, Ben Matulino and Bodene Thompson had mixed prescription drugs and energy drinks.


"It's an issue we had back after the [2013] World Cup.

"We have a stance we've taken on this so, based on the information we've had from the Warriors, the decision was made not to select those players."

Vatuvei, Matulino and Thompson were ruled out of Friday night's Test against the Kangaroos in Newcastle, when the club prevented them from being selected.
Sam Lisone (Samoa), Konrad Hurrell and Albert Vete (Tonga) were also ruled out of playing for their countries.

Warriors managing director Jim Doyle on Monday reaffirmed the club's position on the players who were disciplined last week.

"We're continuing to deal with this internally, focusing on player welfare.
"We won't be going into any details and we won't be making any further comment," he said.
Use of prescription drugs on social occasions has been a mounting problem for rugby league.
"In talking with the hierarchy at the Warriors I am aware of the detail and that doesn't fit our protocol either," Kearney said.

"So from our point of view we made a decision in conjunction with the Warriors. That is important to be clear about.

"It is important that Test match football is the pinnacle of our game. But if there are issues at club level that we certainly don't agree with either then we will make the appropriate decisions accordingly."
Stuff.co.nz, AAP


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...rug-claims-20160502-gojxth.html#ixzz47TDKDeq3
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You would think after the Dylan Walker / Aaron Gray incident last year that players would have steered away from this sort of thing.

Dumb.
 
It is not like this is a new problem which has just happened this year.

In one way I can understand why the players do it.

Players are drug tested to within an inch of their lives, unable to get on the drink (due to highly regulated diets etc) so might feel that have few options on how to get into that "relaxed" state other than prescription drugs. Further to this they play what is most likely the most physically taxing game in world and could conceivable be in a constant state of pain...which would help with the availability of the drugs.

For mind there is a far larger social issue at play regarding drug use (especially considering the way the world is going re marijuana and legalization etc)
 
God the Warriors are just constantly a massive disappointment. 20 years in the comp and only 2 GF's to show for it, despite being able to pick from an entire country. And the sooner they get rid of McFadden the better, this won't end well.
 
The real blight on society is energy drinks. I'm flabbergasted by the amount of school kids I see of a morning on their way to school with a can of V, Monster, Red Bull, or whatever. Surely this crap can't be good for you, with or without prescription drugs.
 
Is it Stillnox they usually take with energy drinks for the high? From memory that is what the Olympic swimmers got on a few years back. Seems to be big issue in society in general. I know quite a few people that like to dabble in prescription drugs, anything from Ritalin, Endone, Oxycodene etc.
 
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