League boss V’landys issues drug warning to code
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys insists rugby league does not have a drug problem but has warned NRL stars not to “fry their brains” by dabbling in cocaine and other illicit substances.
V’landys’ stance comes as the NRL integrity unit prepares to interview Melbourne duo Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith after mobile-phone footage emerged of the pair in a hotel room with a mystery white substance on a coffee table.
It comes as a second video emerged on Tuesday of Munster dancing on what appears to be the same table following Melbourne’s preliminary final loss to the Panthers. The initial footage emerged on Monday, just hours before the pair attended rugby league’s Dally M Awards night presentation in Brisbane.
V’landys is confronting a publicrelations nightmare with the Storm saga coming just 24 hours after one of the code’s rising stars, 19-yearold Warriors young gun Reece Walsh, confessed to cocaine possession in an unrelated incident on Sunday.
V’landys is adamant the code does not have a major drug problem – but he issued an impassioned plea for the NRL’S 480 contracted players to safeguard their mental and physical wellbeing.
“I don’t believe we have a drug problem, no more than what’s happening in the community,” he said. “I can’t fathom why players would want to put drugs into their body, hurt their body and fry their brains.
“That’s why I say to players … ‘Why would you want to jeopardise your health and fry your brain?’
“The players are part of society and drugs are in the community, so naturally that will translate to rugby league as well.
“The only difference between us and the community is our players are high-profile.”