sport news AFL Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith gets some very GOOD news after his ... trends now
Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has had one of the biggest 24 hours of his young life after photos emerged of the young star holding an illicit substance in a bag - but one of his sponsors, Cotton On, has vowed to stand behind their man.
Smith - who was also videoed sniffing an unknown substance in a nightclub, admitted to 'making mistakes' when the story broke on Saturday - was announced as the brand's first menswear ambassador in February.
He is one of the AFL's most recognisable faces on and off the field, and has appeared in multiple modelling shots for Cotton On.
The fashion brand have long been the major apparel sponsor of the AFLW, and also sell off-field AFL merchandise. A spokeswoman for the company said despite the scandal, they were keen to keep working with Smith.
Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith modelling for Cotton On. The huge clothing brand has decided to stick by him despite his bombshell drugs confession
Smith is shown holding a bag containing an illicit substance in a photo that rocked the AFL when it came to light on Saturday
'Cotton On will continue to support Brand Ambassador Bailey Smith during this tough time,' said the spokeswoman.
'Although we do not condone his recent behaviour, we will stand behind him.'
Smith also has partnerships with McDonald's and Monster Energy, though neither company has made a public announcement about how they'll deal with the revelations.
Smith was announced as a Cotton On ambassador in February of this year
The dashing midfielder has appeared in a number of shot for the iconic clothing brand
The AFL have confirmed they will be investigating the incident, with 'an outcome of that investigation communicated in due course'.
They reaffirmed the amount of education all AFL players go through in regards to illicit substances, and indicated they would be interviewing Smith in coming days.
Bailey Smith was filmed snorting an unknown substance last year after the season had ended
At the very least, Smith will likely face having a strike to his name as part of the AFL's illicit drugs policy, which focuses on recreational drugs, as opposed to performance-enhancing drugs which come under the anti-doping code.
Smith, who is currently serving a two-match suspension for headbutting Zach Tuohy, will almost certainly face a suspension and some sort of fine.
Giants ruckman Shane Mumford was fined $25,000 and suspended two matches when he also had a video circulated of him snorting an unknown substance, while Adelaide players Tyson Stengle and Brad Crouch were suspended for four and two matches respectively after South Australian Police found them in possession of cocaine.
The video of Smith was taken in the aftermath of the Bulldog's grand final loss
AFL Players Association boss Paul Marsh said they would be making sure Smith would learn and grow from the experience, but most importantly cared for after such a high-profile incident.
'Bailey is a young man who has made a mistake, but importantly has owned that mistake and, even more importantly, has put steps in place to learn from it and grow as a person as a result of it,' he said.
'The AFL environment is high-pressure and high profile, and Bailey has previously shared his battles with mental health.
'When issues such as this arise, there are typically two alternative approaches people think should be taken. Condemn, sanction and shame the player involved, or support, educate and try to use the issue as an opportunity for growth,' said Marsh.
Bailey Smith has been a star for the Western Bulldogs since being drafted as pick 7 in 2018
Smith is averaging almost 32 disposals per game in 2022, ranked sixth in the league
These sentiments were echoed by Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains on Saturday, though it was clear the behavior was not condoned.
'We are extremely disappointed to have observed social media content showing Bailey Smith with an illicit substance,' he said in a statement.
'Bailey is a young man who has faced many challenges and pressures off the field in recent times which he has spoken of extensively. He endured a particularly difficult time towards the end of last year that ultimately led to time away from football.
While this clearly does not excuse his behaviour, it is our responsibility as a Club to ensure we have supported, and we continue to support, Bailey’s health and wellbeing,' said Bains.
Bailey Smith handballs during the Bulldogs game against Gold Coast in round 10
For his part, Smith was keen to own the behaviour, and consequences that come with it, and become a better person.
'In confronting this, the temptation is to speak in vague generalities and avoid the issue. However, I am determined to learn the lessons of my past and be a better person in the future,' he said.
'After much reflection, I am now in a position to confess to indulging in behaviours in late 2021 of which I am deeply ashamed.
