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Read Full BioBrandon Smith has returned to training for the NRL side, South Sydney Rabbitohs, despite facing charges of supplying drugs and disclosing inside knowledge for betting.
Fox Sports reports that Smith bought cocaine for teammate Victor Radley on a trip during a bye week in June when he played for the Sydney Roosters.
He is also accused of providing information to a drug dealer about the lineup for his debut game with the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The drug dealer then used the information to place bets.
The player has denied the charges and said he intends to plead not guilty in court later this month.
The Rabbitohs released a statement defending Smith last week, stating: “In respect to the matter at hand, through his solicitor Paul McGirr, the Club understands that Brandon was not physically in the jurisdiction of Queensland when this matter was alleged to have occurred, and therefore, we are instructed that the matter will be contested”.
As a result, he has returned to training and is available to feature in the club’s next match against his old club Sydney Roosters, on Friday.
NRL Journalist Attacked And Spat On For Exposing Drug Dealer
The link between drugs, betting, and the NRL is not new. Sports journalist Danny Wiedler has revealed he was attacked and spat on for exposing an individual who was offering NRL players party drugs in exchange for gambling information.
Speaking on the Triple M NRL podcast, Wiedler said: “That person was banned by administrators in the game because he used to lean on players for gambling information. In return, they would get party drugs.”
He went on to detail the attack, which occurred at a shopping mall, saying: “I was in a mall at Bondi Junction and this guy came up to me in the mall and started swinging at me.”
He added that the man “Came up and spat in my face and started to threaten me.”
In response, Wiedler filed for an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) in court. However, he went on to say that the man still has friends in the industry who resent him for the incident.
“There are still people in the game who are friendly with him and they don’t like me because of it. They give me a hard time when I see them. His friends still give me a hard time when I see them. It caused a lot of grief in my life at that time because I exposed him and I wrote about him.”
NRL Insider Information Betting Scandal
The scandal that Wiedler may be referring to relates to a New South Wales (NSW) Police match-fixing investigation launched in 2016. Eddie Hayson was accused of being involved in the scandal, but in an interview with Wiedler denied any involvement.
He emphasized that he had nothing to hide: “Absolutely nothing. I would like anybody to go and dig up one game where I had a decent bet and show me where any player that I know well had played poorly”.
In 2017, NSW Police said they were sure that insider information was being fed to criminal groups. In comments reported by the Guardian, Detective Superintendent Scott Cook said: “We’ve got no doubt there was insider information being exchanged about players who were playing, injuries, who was feeling good and who was feeling bad.”
Cook went on to add that young players were being targeted with drugs involved, stating: “They are vulnerable. A lot of these players are young, they need good mentors. They need people to help them guide their way through cocaine use, for gambling.”
Hayson has not faced any charges related to match-fixing, but was arrested over a large-scale drug supply operation last year. He was granted bail on 21 kilograms of drug trafficking charges, and investigations are ongoing.
There is no indication as yet that the alleged drug dealer in Smith’s case is Hayson.
Other Betting Scandals in Australia
In other betting scandals in Australia, an AFL umpire faces charges related to providing betting information related to the Brownlow Medal.
Additionally, a Japanese A-League player pleaded guilty to deliberately picking up yellow cards in three matches this year. Riku Danzaki avoided jail time and was fined A$5000 ($3209.50) along with his friend, who had placed the bets.
