Andrew Slack: Reds may have been able to help James Slipper earlier if secrecy had been lifted

EVERYTHING about Reds star James Slipper looked classic role model material. His sad plight though tells us there is no such thing as a perfect role model, says Andrew Slack.

James Slipper twice tested positive for cocaine.

IT’S been a week of hope and despair.

On Monday came the news that Rod Kafer, head of the national coaching panel, and Mick Byrne, Wallabies skills coach, would be part of a brainstorming get-together aimed at delivering the first step on the path to creating the perfect player.

This “Player of the Future” summit could potentially involve Australia’s most successful coaches of recent decades, current Super Rugby coaches, and presumably other assorted rugby brains.

James Slipper twice tested positive for cocaine.

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This pathway to the perfect player idea was publicised just three days before reality struck, and we were again made aware that nothing, no matter how good it seems, is perfect.

Everything about James Slipper looked classic role model material. His sad plight tells us there is no such thing as a perfect role model.

Indeed, imperfect role models might be just the type that are needed, so that the impressionable learn the vital lesson that each and every one of us is only one poor decision away from sullying a hard-earned reputation.

Within minutes of the news breaking of Slipper’s positive test to cocaine, I received messages from people asking if there was a “drug culture” within the Reds.

In a television interview, former Wallaby fullback Greg Martin answered a question about a drug problem at the Reds rather succinctly by asking one back.

“Has society got a drug problem?” he said.

The answer is unfortunately an affirmative one, and as Martin pointed out, you’re particularly

vulnerable if you’re between 20 and 30 and have a bit of cash.

The Reds don’t have a “drug culture”, but individuals live their lives in the wider world and, like anyone else, footballers can succumb to temptation.

James Slipper has been banned for two months.

That reality has put Slipper where he is today, but the episode illustrated what appears to be a flawed system.

Martin was also asked whether the current Illicit Drugs Policy, whereby the Reds were not informed of Slipper’s first positive test in February, is the fairest way to proceed.

He argued that it was, and that any individual is due “a little leeway”.

My view is the people who pay a good percentage of Slipper’s wages should also be afforded some leeway.

There is no worthwhile sporting body in the world that is not conscious of the need to ensure player welfare.

Remembering that the Reds organisation has been around Slipper day-to-day from February through to now, surely it was in everybody’s best interests that senior coaches and officials were made aware of that first positive test so they could keep an eye on him, and potentially be of help.

Who knows, but had this veil of secrecy been absent, there may have been a greater support for Slipper that could have prevented him erring twice.

RA CEO Raelene Castle wants to encourage to come forward early with their issues.

Privacy issues and other personal matters come into the equation, but ultimately an employer surely deserves to be aware of an employee who is engaging in potentially harmful behaviour, whether it’s for the first time or the hundredth.

RA chief executive Raelene Castle’s words appear to suggest a revisit to this secretive policy might be worthwhile.

“People work really hard to hide any mental health or depression challenges they have for a very long time,” she said.

“As a sport we need to try and encourage people to come forward earlier, because the earlier they come forward, the earlier we can help them.”

We want them coming forward earlier, but it’s not until later that the policy allows those who might be in a position to help, to do so.

There’s no perfect system and there are no perfect players, but it’s always worth trying to get as close to producing them as we can.

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Originally published as Andrew Slack: Reds may have been able to help James Slipper earlier if secrecy had been lifted