Mitch Nichols Cocaine Incident

[Erebus]

2 minutes ago, wswtragic said:

Yes, I know the timing, but I thought it was his choice - it seems not.

MSM not getting facts right or any research

[theguyyouwishyouwere]

Just now, Erebus said:

MSM not getting facts right or any research

even soccer journos like bossi and smithies don't bother fact checking - why expect people who hate the game to?

[wswtragic]

4 minutes ago, Upthehill said:

What makes you say it wasnt his choice?

This quote from The Guardian (not attesting to its accuracy):
"Nichols, who discovered last week that his contract with Wanderers will not be renewed, is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on 9 June."

[Erebus]

discovered last week lol. Its been on the cards for months.

[Upthehill]

14 minutes ago, wswtragic said:

This quote from The Guardian (not attesting to its accuracy):
"Nichols, who discovered last week that his contract with Wanderers will not be renewed, is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on 9 June."

Considering all the noise made about his exit from Feb, I would definitely be contesting the accuracy

[btron3000]

Haha yep, but I think you'd be surprised. (Chat on facebook that people have seen the Royal one on it too...)

I guess I was using the terminology the NRL often use to give an example of the types of excuses made. There are people now saying "we don't do it as much as the NRL" etc etc. It's always a mistake, or small minority etc. But it's not really. No-one wants to acknowledge the truth - plenty of people do it. Especially cashed up people. Especially young, cashed up people. Especially young, cashed-up sportspeople who now stick away from booze. Especially young, cashed-up sportspeople during their off-season. If anyone thinks that it's only Mitch, or that we're better than the NRL, I think they are a bit naive.

That's why I think this conversation has to involve discussion of the wider societal issues. People do it, and the way sporting bodies react will affect these people, as well as the fans etc. Not to mention that it affects the public discussion.

In the end, the only reason that the sporting bodies care is that they might lose money. But how many sponsors really turn away? FIFA are the most corrupt guys going and they still have their sponsors. Sponsors say they care, but they only care if they think "caring" gives them the upperhand on their competitors. Sponsors care only about how beneficial their marketing and brand connections are.

That's why I think it's a facade. Heaps of people do it, a LOT of people don't really care, and a few isolated incidents are not going to affect the league. But for some reason as a society we are conditioned to think it matters, the media make a big deal out of it, sponsors are conditioned to assess whether they should stay on (or at least to make public noises of such), and the sporting bodies are pressured to do something. Everyone tuts tuts and talks either about how the individual is a bad person or that they're a good person who just made a mistake, etc. They didn't make a mistake, they just had a bit of fun.

I hate to say this, but I think the NRL has got it right. First offense - warning, drug program. Second offense - 12 month ban. Insisting on coming down hard on people for a first offense for social drugs - something a large percentage of society have done - is craziness. If a club think it's not the behaviour of a professional, they can act above and beyond that.

[Roycarlton2012]

Mitch is lucky it was only possession he hadn't taken a hit yet . 

Would be nice if he ended up back at WSW on the cheap because of it I'd offer 180k and a rehab program 

[echidna]

1 hour ago, Roycarlton2012 said:

Mitch is lucky it was only possession he hadn't taken a hit yet . 

Would be nice if he ended up back at WSW on the cheap because of it I'd offer 180k and a rehab program 

Any player who doesn't have the commonsense to stay away from drugs should never be considered. Given the events in Rugby League over the last fortnight, you would think he should have been smarter. A good example of how to kill a career, quickly. Forget about him and consider the over 99% of football players who have more brain.

[mack]

I'm starting a specific thread for this issue, as it's been talked about across multiple threads. Please stick to this one. Thanks.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/western-sydney-wanderers-star-mitch-nichols-charged-with-cocaine-possession/news-story/f16fd0bb815aff9866545df4303a633f

THE USE of illegal drugs has hit football’s A-league competition with Western Sydney Wanderers star and former Socceroo Mitch Nichols charged with possession of cocaine at a Sydney nightclub.

Nichols, 28, was allegedly at Casablanca nightclub in Double Bay in the early hours of last Saturday when police conducted a random drug sweep.

Just before 12.30am police located three small clear resealable plastic bags containing about 1.1 grams of a white powder which they believed to be cocaine.

Police confiscated the drugs and issued Nichols with a field court attendance notice for possess prohibited drug. He is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Friday 9 June.

[Neverbloom]

i feel bad for Mitch i like the guy but things happen

[ZachMercer]

I suspect bozza won't be making a statement .

[mack]

I've done some digging and I don't believe he would fall under a doping violation. Cocaine under the WADC (World Anti-Doping Code), is only a violation when in-competition. Based on my reading of the codes, "in competition" ends very soon after the athletes last eligible match. If that is correct, he wouldn't be considered to have violated the WADC doping code at all.

There was a story online (it gets paywalled but I found a way around it) of some north shore private school teacher who got caught, getting the charges dismissed by the judge, so he might not even end up with a conviction even if he's guilty.

The FFA will be able to charge him with a violation of the Code of Conduct. That is where I think his biggest problem could be. The FFA, assuming Nichols is still covered under the A-League. The biggest potential issue is a long ban, IF that ban would prevent him from transferring his registration to a new club. If FFA went down that path, it would be lawyers at 12 paces with the PFA likely to stick their nose in.

[GunnerWanderer]

A-League players probably don't have enough cash to dabble in the powder hence we don't get many stories

wtf was he doing in eastern Sydney anyway the cove probably planted it on him

mounty wanderers champ you can't get wrong 

[Smoggy]

This lads head hasn't seemed in the right place all last season, not that I am suggesting that this is any kind of long term drug issue or anything, just that from the stands Mitch's mind had not been on the job at hand for whatever reason.

Silly boy if true...regardless of what punishment he might or might not receive...

Edited May 17, 2017 by WSWBoro

[EmMac]

Oh Mitch

[mack]

There was actually a Daily Terrograph article written on Sunday morning about the raids at Double Bay, before anyone knew Nichols was the guy pinged at Casablanca. It's behind a paywall though. He's also in the video on that article. Obviously the people writing the story & the photographer had no idea who he was. I'm guessing someone watched the video/pictures after coming in on Monday and realised who Nichols was.

Quote

A WASTED partygoer is trying to barrage his way through a throng of cops.

Moaning and thrashing about, it takes three officers to pin the man down. It’s only 10.30pm at the Royal Oak Hotel at Double Bay and the other patrons enjoying quiet drink are watching the scene in shock. But it’s typical of what police officers in Sydney’s so-called “elite” eastern suburbs have to put up with on any given Friday night.

The Daily Telegraph joined undercover detectives on Friday night as they raided several Double Bay clubs in the latest bid to stamp out the booming yuppie drug culture.

Police are increasing their presence at the eastern suburbs night scene as drug use booms. In Woollahra cocaine possession and trafficking incidents are now occurring at 10 times the state average.

In the space of just three hours, officers from the Rose Bay detect and search 29 people, nabbing three people for alleged cocaine possession, slapping one person with a warning for cannabis, and moving a handful of others on for unruly behaviour.

A few hours after the Royal Oak affray, police pounce on a man leaving the bathroom of Casblanca after the sniffer dogs detect him.

As the man tries to shove his way through the line of officers, several bags of white powder plonk to the ground. One is empty and looks like it’s been licked clean.

The man is arrested at the scene and taken to the mobile vehicle for testing.

[wanderersfanatic]

2 hours ago, GunnerWanderer said:

A-League players probably don't have enough cash to dabble in the powder hence we don't get many stories

wtf was he doing in eastern Sydney anyway the cove probably planted it on him

mounty wanderers champ you can't get wrong 

 

A mate of mine that hangs around the eastern suburbs sees mitch hanging around there multiple times from North Sydney to coogee.. He must like that lifestyle. 

[Beer]

Delicious irony. 

[luisenrique]

I think cocaince is a dangerous drug because, well, it's so damn good and also expensive. I can't think of anyone whose life has improved through extensive cocaine use.

However, it's only marginally more harmful than regular alcohol consumption, and no-one would give a **** if he had a few drinks on the same night. So I'm not gonna crucify him over this, and I think any club who wanted him but now isn't interested is stupid. If he's a regular cokehead (wouldn't surprise me) then that's another matter. 

If you did a survey of how many people on this forum have touched the powder ever, it would be a similar % to how many in the WSW squad have, to how many in the A-League have, to how many in Sydney have. 

[StringerBellend]

40 minutes ago, luisenrique said:

I think cocaince is a dangerous drug because, well, it's so damn good and also expensive. I can't think of anyone whose life has improved through extensive cocaine use.

However, it's only marginally more harmful than regular alcohol consumption, and no-one would give a **** if he had a few drinks on the same night. So I'm not gonna crucify him over this, and I think any club who wanted him but now isn't interested is stupid. If he's a regular cokehead (wouldn't surprise me) then that's another matter. 

If you did a survey of how many people on this forum have touched the powder ever, it would be a similar % to how many in the WSW squad have, to how many in the A-League have, to how many in Sydney have. 

 

[Erebus]

17 hours ago, GunnerWanderer said:

wtf was he doing in eastern Sydney anyway the cove probably planted it on him

Not sure if serious?

[Stokz]

12 hours ago, luisenrique said:

I think cocaince is a dangerous drug because, well, it's so damn good and also expensive. I can't think of anyone whose life has improved through extensive cocaine use.

However, it's only marginally more harmful than regular alcohol consumption, and no-one would give a **** if he had a few drinks on the same night. So I'm not gonna crucify him over this, and I think any club who wanted him but now isn't interested is stupid. If he's a regular cokehead (wouldn't surprise me) then that's another matter. 

If you did a survey of how many people on this forum have touched the powder ever, it would be a similar % to how many in the WSW squad have, to how many in the A-League have, to how many in Sydney have. 

Survey time lol

[DamnedUnited]

My outrage is that Mitch was doing blow in Double Bay and not meth in Merrylands. He should be charged for crossing the class divide not possession. Poor Mitch. Life's a beach.

[Paul01]

3 minutes ago, DamnedUnited said:

My outrage is that Mitch was doing blow in Double Bay and not meth in Merrylands. He should be charged for crossing the class divide not possession. Poor Mitch. Life's a beach.

Goes with growing up on the Queensland Gold Coast.

[MadKaw]

FORMER A-League star Mitch Nichols has been hit with a four-game ban by Football Federation Australia after admitting possession of cocaine at a Sydney night club last month.

Nichols, who was released by Western Sydney Wanderers before the arrest, was found to have breached clauses 2.1 and 6.1(a) of the FFA National Code of Conduct for the incident at a Double Bay nightspot on 13 May.

Nichols was on the verge of a new club deal abroad, and Fox Sports understands that the ban falls under FIFA statutes and so will apply to overseas leagues.

News Corp reports that the 28-year-old has been issued with a good behaviour bond after his appearance at the Downing Centre court in Sydney.

He admitted possession of 1.1g of cocaine, and the FFA sanction only came down after the court verdict. Although he had already been release by the Wanderers, he was still registered with the Wanderers at the time he was arrested.

FFA has also determined that Nichols must undertake education and counselling in addition to his four-game ban, a length determined because the former Brisbane and Melbourne Victory midfielder showed contrition, pleaded guilty promptly and “took responsibility for his actions”.

The five-time Socceroo has seven business days to appeal.

[theguyyouwishyouwere]

that's amazing. Five-time socceroo? well i never...

[mack]

On 2017-6-2 at 7:23 AM, theguyyouwishyouwere said:

that's amazing. Five-time socceroo? well i never...

That was in his player database entry.

[theguyyouwishyouwere]

On 6/3/2017 at 3:52 PM, mack said:

That was in his player database entry.