K wrote:Baum:
AFL's betting problem is black and white
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl ... 51zcq.html
"But one unintended consequence of the gravity of his suspension is that it has turned the spotlight 180 degrees back onto the AFL and its problematic gambling nexus.
With one hand, they slap down Stephenson for his $36 betting spree. With the other, they take an estimated $10million from online bookmaker Beteasy. At $36, it is recklessness. At $10million, it is good business.
With one hand, they preach moderation in gambling. With the other, they wave through a gambling advertising blitz on TV, radio, in print media, online, all over the AFL's own website and at the grounds, unrelenting and inescapable, until your head spins like poker machine wheels. Gamble responsibly? How about advertise responsibly?
With one hand, the AFL forbid footballers to bet. With the other, they strew temptations to bet in front of young men, traditionally society’s highest risk-takers and the incidence is proportionately higher among footballers, who have time and cash to spare and whose whole existence is a continuous exercise in backing themselves. Does anyone really believe that Stephenson is the only footballer to have a wager this year?
...
Here’s a real-life announcement. "It was agreed that we would end all sponsorships with betting companies starting from the end of this season," it reads. "The decision was made following a three-month review of our approach to it as a governing body taking betting sponsorship, whilst being responsible for the regulation of sports betting with the sport's rules."
Sadly, that is not the AFL, or any Australian sports body, but the English Football Association in 2017, severing a deal worth millions of pounds to them.
Expect the AFL's end of season study tour to be to Las Vegas again."
Wow, a great serve back to the AFL. Excellent!!
TP made this comment a few pages back:
10 weeks is overs, it’s pure and simple Collingwood loading.
A number of us have agreed with this.
There are several possible reasons why the AFL might use a Collingwood player as a scape-goat. However, I was just watching the club's presser on the website and in the top right hand corner is the big banner saying "We are proud to say no to sports betting sponsorship".
Could it be that the AFL is feeling just a little uncomfortable about its own activities in promoting footy gambling and wanted to bring the club down a notch for going against the AFL's position??? What better way than to hand out the heaviest penalty ever to a Pies player!
Possibly far-fetched, but I would not rule out anything this unprincipled, self-aggrandizing lot are capable of.
PS I hope the likes of Mike Sheahan and Greg Baum continue to irritate the hell out of the AFL on this issue. They have shown themselves completely out of touch with the general football supporter on the crowd control issue, so another bombardment of "bad press" would be quite disturbing for them up there in their ivory towers.