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 died in January 2022 at age 25, reportedly struggling with drug addiction and mental health issues. Dr. Zeeshan Arain, a former Melbourne doctor, implicated Balic’s case in a statement submitted to SIA by MP Andrew Wilkie. Arain alleged that clubs often use list management to remove players with substance abuse problems, neglecting their duty of care. SIA’s investigation follows accusations from Wilkie that club doctors conducted illicit drug tests on players who had previously failed tests to avoid anti-doping violations. Dr. Arain has clarified that his statements aimed to expose cultural issues within the AFL, not the illicit drug policy itself. Balic played four games for Fremantle in 2017 and spoke publicly about his mental health battles.