Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) is investigating the death of Harley Balic, a former Melbourne and Fremantle player, as part of its probe into the AFL’s illicit drug policy.
Balic passed away in January 2022, just days after his 25th birthday. Sources close to Balic have confirmed that he struggled with drug addiction, anxiety, and mental health issues.
The Herald Sun reported that Balic’s case was mentioned in a statement submitted to SIA by federal MP Andrew Wilkie. The statement, provided by former Melbourne doctor Zeeshan Arain, alleges that clubs often use list management to remove players with substance abuse problems, neglecting their duty of care.
“Take Harley Balic, for example. A few years after Harley Balic left the Melbourne Football Club, he was dead related to drug use,” Dr. Arain said in his statement.
At the time of Balic’s death, Victoria Police stated that they would prepare a report for the coroner, but his death was not treated as suspicious.
SIA’s investigation follows accusations made in parliament by Wilkie, who claimed that club doctors were conducting illicit drug tests in the week leading up to matches on players who had previously failed tests for banned substances. The purpose of these tests was to avoid anti-doping violations and potential bans from the sport.
Wilkie further alleged that players who failed these tests were then rested, ostensibly due to injury.
Dr. Arain has since clarified that his statements were intended to expose cultural issues within the AFL, not the illicit drug policy itself.
“I wasn’t attacking the illicit drugs policy,” Arain said. “I wanted to expose cultural problems, not off-the-books testing.
Balic played four games for the Dockers at the start of 2017 after they drafted him at pick 38 in the 2015 AFL national draft. He also played in Peel Thunder’s 2016 premiership team.
During his career, Balic spoke openly about his battles with mental health and anxiety.
Sport Integrity Australia declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
