Players in need of education, not condemnation, in drug debate

A proper educational process could have spared Brendan O’Sullivan the reputational damage he and his family have endured for nothing more than a poorly thought out mistake, writes Mike Quirke.

What a curious week it has been. A young man from Valentia island in south Kerry has been in the eye of a storm that has whipped the whole country into a frenzy on the drug debate. I’d like to be clear from the outset, before I get accused of trying to circle the wagons to protect a Kerry footballer, I believe Brendan O’Sullivan is 100% guilty. Guilty of making a really bad decision that has had serious ramifications.

For a modern day inter-county footballer to walk into a health shop and buy a fat burner, or any product for that matter, without checking with the team nutritionist or team doctor, with all the associated risks involved, is tantamount to walking around juggling a couple of unpinned grenades from hand to hand — eventually they’re going to blow up in your face.