Karmichael Hunt charged with cocaine supply.

[Viking]

They have to work with the information they have at hand.

It's pretty much a damned if you do, damned if you don't for the Reds and the ARU.

They also have to consider the impact sticking by him might have on the team as the scrutiny intensifies.

Innocent until proven guilty is all well and good, but that doesn't mean there isn't fallout and collateral damage when someone has been charged with a serious criminal offence.

Standing him down immediately is probably the safest decision to make.

Agreed. The ARU can always argue he took the game into disrepute whether he is charged or not.

 

[fatprop]

If this comes down to K having purchased cocaine for personal use, and nothing more. While incredibly stupid and unprofessional, would be an offense that many many current Australian rugby players have made, and will continue to make.

True, but being caught doing it makes it a crime, it is a schedule 1 drug, and he is in deep poo if convicted.

Even getting to other countries to get a contract could be an issue

Here is a nice summary
http://www.bosscherlawyers.com/drug-offences/

 

[gel]

How the hell do the AFL and the NRL get to keep their player names out of the media until such time as it is almost a non issue anymore (or everyone is tired of trying to guess who it is and forgets about it) yet the ARU has their players named and shamed in the friggen papers if they happen to step out for a whopper with cheese????

 

[I like to watch]

U

This is the issue, it's easy to say he should be sacked but what if he is found innocent and has no case to answer?
It's not like he bashed his wife and the evidence is clear and physical, we don't even know what the evidence is.

If found guilty then he is obviously sacked, but I think there's a case for unfair dismissal if he is sacked before been found guilty.


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Suspension on full pay,keeps the pressure off the squad and protects all parties legally.
Assuming he pleads not guilty.

 

[Braveheart81]

This is the issue, it's easy to say he should be sacked but what if he is found innocent and has no case to answer?
It's not like he bashed his wife and the evidence is clear and physical, we don't even know what the evidence is.

If found guilty then he is obviously sacked, but I think there's a case for unfair dismissal if he is sacked before been found guilty.

Of course there is. That doesn't mean that it's still not the best option.

Personally I'd just be standing him down indefinitely at this stage with no mention of his contract being terminated. That can be decided in the coming weeks when more information comes to light (and presumably more details of the indictment are read out in court of March 5).

 

[Lorenzo]

If his involvement here is no greater that being a non-profitable connection between a genuine dealer and his friends, then this is a "there but for the grace of god go I" situation for many former and dare I say current pro rugby players.

 

[TOCC]

Of course there is. That doesn't mean that it's still not the best option.

It's the best option on the presumption he is to be found guilty.. He may potentially be completely innocent.... Given he wasn't found with the drugs or caught 'red handed' it may potentially be difficult to prove even if it is true.


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[redstragic]

Probably a good thing it all blows up now. What is disappointing is the betrayal, I really believed in him. There has been so much talk about K being such a good leader and athlete. I wonder how much of that is true and how much is him being an accomplished junkie and liar. Ps, much of what I said I should have probably said allegedly along with it.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Back him in I say.

See what comes of any conviction, and exactly what the powers at be are want to do with the information.

I find it very unlikely that brining K to "justice" over a small amount of cocaine will help any person or law organisation.

Unless of course he is a drug king pin, importing and exporting that Peruvian marching powder in conjunction with the Wharfies.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Probably a good thing it all blows up now. What is disappointing is the betrayal, I really believed in him. There has been so much talk about K being such a good leader and athlete. I wonder how much of that is true and how much is him being an accomplished junkie and liar. Ps, much of what is said I should have probably said allegedly along with it.

What?

 

[Slim 293]

I doubt the ARU or the Reds are going to want to have such a massive PR nightmare playing rugby while facing drug felony charges............

BH's scenario is the sensible approach and what's likely to happen:

Personally I'd just be standing him down indefinitely at this stage with no mention of his contract being terminated. That can be decided in the coming weeks when more information comes to light (and presumably more details of the indictment are read out in court of March 5).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

sounds as though he purchased for others or they don't have enough evidence to charge him for use of a banned substance

Call me naive, but doesn't evidence of use of cocaine stay in the system for much longer than the effect does.

If done in the past, when on AFL Team Rehab, then there is a chance of recent (and possible ongoing regular) use.

Would lining him up for an immediate ASADA illicit substances test, or a standard workplace OH&S drug test be useful - from an ASADA Spanish Inquisition or Employer/Employee Code of Conduct perspective?

 

[Pfitzy]

I don't think the QLD Police would move on a high profile sporting star without pretty compelling evidence.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I don't think the QLD Police would move on a number of high profile sporting stars without pretty compelling evidence.

fixed

 

[Braveheart81]

If this is a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation I think you can be pretty certain that a lot of the evidence is based around text messages and phone intercepts that they've got via previous warrants.

I highly doubt that Hunt has been charged on the back of someone somewhere on the chain saying they either sold or bought drugs to/from Karmichael Hunt.

 

[Slim 293]

If the CCC are going to take him to trial I would expect some kind of Stephen Milne scenario where he "takes leave" and is never seen in rugby again..............

* only to resurface in the NRL and play Origin in 2017.

 

[redstragic]

I don't think the QLD Police would move on a high profile sporting star without pretty compelling evidence.

Given the Titans players are involved as well, it is a very big story. Given the police would have been very careful before acting, I wonder if the story will get bigger with more charges to come?

 

[biggsy]

hurts so much, thanks KHUNT for ruining my trust.
Only wrote this a week ago

I like you Hunt.. Well said

 

[Strewthcobber]

Call me naive, but doesn't evidence of use of cocaine stay in the system for much longer than the effect does.

If done in the past, when on AFL Team Rehab, then there is a chance of recent (and possible ongoing regular) use.

Would lining him up for an immediate ASADA illicit substances test, or a standard workplace OH&S drug test be useful - from an ASADA Spanish Inquisition or Employer/Employee Code of Conduct perspective?

We do (urine) drug testing at work. The kits we use state that infrequent cocaine use will be not detactable within a couple of days, certainly no longer than a week.

But I don't tell the guys that! Make them sweat

Don't know if ASADA even test for recreational use?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

hurts so much, thanks KHUNT for ruining my trust <snip>

There has been a lot of belief invested in Khunt hasn't there, not only from those north of the Tweed.

This is not a good day for Club Wallaby.

Whether he was Gold Jumper material would have been a matter for conjecture, but he certainly would have introduced an element of competition for a Gold Jumper, and could/would/should have made incumbents lift their performances.