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Accident – Death – Obituary News : Former AFL star Harley Balic tragically passed away at the young age of 25 in 2022, leaving his family and fans devastated. His father, Eddie, was shocked to discover that the AFL had kept his son’s drug use a secret, leading to his untimely death. Balic, a talented midfielder who played for the Fremantle Dockers and Melbourne Demons, was placed into the code’s ‘medical model’, a policy that does not penalize players for testing positive for illicit drugs.
The news of Balic’s death has reignited discussions about the AFL’s controversial policies on drug use among players. A Sport Integrity Australia investigation has been launched to examine the league’s illicit drugs policy and its impact on players like Balic. Eddie Balic believes that the AFL failed to intervene early enough to provide the necessary support for young players struggling with substance abuse issues.
In an interview with News Corp, Eddie Balic expressed his disappointment in the AFL for not taking more proactive measures to help his son. He believes that with better support and intervention, his son’s tragic outcome could have been prevented. The family feels let down by the league’s lack of transparency and communication regarding Balic’s struggles with addiction.
As the AFL faces scrutiny over its handling of illicit drug use among players, the Balic family hopes that their son’s story will lead to positive changes in the way the league addresses substance abuse issues. They are calling for increased support and intervention for young players who may be at risk, to prevent further tragedies like Harley Balic’s untimely death. Former AFL player Harley Balic’s tragic death in 2021 has once again brought attention to the issue of mental health in the sporting world. Balic, who played for Fremantle and Melbourne, was a rising star in the AFL before his untimely passing. His mother, Nancy, expressed disappointment that senior management of the AFL never reached out to her after her son’s death.
Balic’s struggles with mental health were well-known, and he had been vocal about his battles with depression. In 2018, he announced his retirement from professional football and shifted his focus to helping others. During the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020, Balic took on a challenge to raise awareness about mental health issues by plunging into freezing water for 50 days.
Despite his efforts to raise awareness, Balic’s own mental health continued to deteriorate. His mother’s tribute to him in a birthday photo just days before his death serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the toll mental health issues can take. The circumstances surrounding Balic’s passing have once again raised questions about the support systems in place for athletes struggling with mental health issues.
In the AFL, players identified as occasional or regular drug users are exempt from the three strikes program, allowing them to be tested before games to prevent positive readings. However, there are concerns that some players may be avoiding suspensions by feigning injuries. Balic’s story sheds light on the complexities of mental health in professional sports and the need for better support systems for athletes facing these challenges.
As the sporting community mourns the loss of Harley Balic, it is clear that more needs to be done to support athletes struggling with mental health issues. The conversation around mental health in sports must continue, and the support systems for athletes must be strengthened to prevent tragedies like Balic’s death in the future..