THE AFL said research into the alcohol consumption habits of players it commissioned in 2006, which has been published in the Medical Journal of Australia, will guide the development of the AFL Responsible Alcohol Policy that will be released later this year.
The research, conducted by Associate Professor John Fitzgerald of Melbourne University and Paul Dietze from the Burnet Institute, was commissioned as part of a joint AFLPA/AFL project in 2006 to inform the development of responsible alcohol strategies.
The report shows more than half of Australia's professional AFL players drink in excess of 60 drinks in the two weeks after the season ends, putting them at serious risk of long-term harm.
The anonymous survey of 582 players across Australia found that just two per cent drank at risky levels during the season - far less than the 15 per cent seen in the general male population - but this skyrocketed to 54 per cent in the two weeks after the season ends.
And 40 per cent maintained this dangerous drinking level of at least 29 drinks a week throughout their holiday.
"We think that this is extremely concerning," said Professor Fitzgerald.
Researchers said they were surprised to find that older, more experienced players drank at the same heavy levels as their more junior peers, with married players and those with a job outside of football the only groups to drink more lightly.
AFL General Manager of Football Operations Adrian Anderson said that the draft policy was a sign the AFL and the players' association were taking the issue seriously.
“We know this is an important issue in the community and our players are not immune to it which is why the players association and the AFL have taken steps to address it,” Anderson said.
The AFL's responsible alcohol policy is designed to guide the 16 clubs in developing their own responses to responsible alcohol consumption, establishing effective pathways for treatment of alcohol-related problems, creating responsible drinking cultures and using player welfare oriented and education-based approaches to promote responsible alcohol consumption.
Anderson said the AFL had received widespread support from drug and alcohol prevention groups for undertaking the research and developing its policy.
“We have consulted with more than 30 of Australia’s leading drug and alcohol experts and agencies who have been very supportive of the AFL and the AFL players’ desire to build strategies that create a responsible alcohol culture in clubs,” Anderson said.
“The research was the first step. We have made a great deal of progress in refining the content and the timing of our player education programs and have seen the players take a leading role in addressing the issue.”
Anderson said one example of the proactive efforts by playing groups was the move by Geelong players Tom Harley, David Wojinski and James Kelly to spearhead the Just Think responsible alcohol and anti-violence campaign aimed at young people in the Geelong area.
That Just Think campaign has since grown into a wider community campaign across the Leader Community Newspaper group and is supported by the AFL and player ambassadors such as Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney, Josh Fraser and Matthew Lloyd.
“The clubs have contributed enormously to the policy and to working with the players to develop strategies and to ensure a responsible drinking culture during post-season celebrations,” Mr Anderson said.
