Cousins Home As Eagles Apologize

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
 

Ben Cousins returned home this weekend, but refused to answer any questions put to him by reporters at the airports except that he was feeling good. And the Eagles have altered his contract, imposing a severe criteria for his return to football and continuing his career. The criteria are:

- stay away from certain Perth identities

- subject himself to regular drug tests by the Eagles, possibly daily

- admit publicly his drug problem

- apologize publicly for his drug abuse

- any infringement of the above could be grounds for instant dismissal from the club and cancellation of his contract, believed to be worth about $750,000 per year

The AFL, along with its medical officers, will have to give the final clearance for Cousins' return to playing football.

Cousins' return home came as Eagle officials and members of the player leadership group, including Chris Judd and Andrew Embley, met with the Commission to discuss player behavior. Prior to the meeting, the AFL did its own research and found more than a dozen serious offenses by players dating back to 2001. When presented with these facts, Eagle chairman Dalton Gooding had no choice but to apologize.

While it appears the AFL is satisfied with how the club is going about cleaning up its mess and dealing with offending players, league officials issued a stern warning, not just to West Coast, but to the entire competition, that future indiscretions would be severely dealt with. Should any Eagle infringe again, the club could face the loss of premiership points and draft selections, fines, or player suspension.

And Adam Selwood has been ordered to undergo counseling under the AFL’s respect and responsibility policies over the verbal sledge on Des Headland. 

Source: Herald Sun