Footy star Bailey Smith’s raw admission after drug scandal

AFL star Bailey Smith has gone public to reveal all about his drug use as his coach called for the AFL to scrap its most controversial policy.

Bailey Smith is expected to cop it on the chin. Photo: Getty Images and Tik Tok

Footy star Bailey Smith has revealed he turned to partying and drug use as a result of mental health issues as his white powder scandal continues to swirl.

The Western Bulldogs player is reportedly set to admit his use of an illicit substance to AFL investigators and take a two-week ban after images and videos spread on social media on Saturday.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Smith on Sunday revealed the extent of his mental health spiral and “chronic anxiety” that were further triggered following the club’s loss to Melbourne in the 2021 Grand Final.

Smith revealed to The Herald Sun he has faced “really dark days” and didn’t want to get out of bed in recent times.

It comes as Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge spoke publicly on Monday morning when arriving at the team’s Whitten Oval headquarters and called for the AFL to scrap its controversial three-strikes drug use policy.

“None of us really think it works,” he said.

“Ultimately the clubs, the people, the constituents are here to help and support players and essentially any player with a clinically diagnosed mental health challenge will never be exposed to the policy anyway.”

Beveridge said he doesn’t want Smith to be punished further by the football club — on top of any potential disciplinary action the AFL takes.

Images circulating on Twitter that appear to be Western Bulldogs player Bailey Smith with white powder.

Stills from Bailey Smith video partying in Perth posted on Tik Tok on the 5th October 2021. Source: Tik Tok

Smith is reportedly set to be interviewed by AFL officials on Tuesday.

He said in an interview with The Herald Sun he was “ashamed” of his behaviour but now wants to use it to inspire others who have similar decisions in there life.

“There have certainly been really dark days,” he said.

“Even now, I haven’t brushed my teeth in two days just because of this stuff.

“It does hit me, and I do get waves of chronic anxiety and it’s difficult.

“I reckon I went days without eating, even brushing my teeth, leaving my bedroom, I couldn’t talk to people (after the Grand Final).

“I didn’t go on my phone or anything, but that’s just what it was.

“I didn’t do any training, anything like that – I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to training.

“I’m sure lots of people have experienced that, and it’s not an excuse to why I acted the way that I did, but it certainly does provide context as to why I made such a stupid decision like I did.”

He says he got “sucked into” a party lifestyle following the grand final loss.

In the videos circulating on social media he was seen holding a small bag of white powder and sniffing an unknown substance. The incident is reported to have occurred in a Gold Coast nightclub in October.

In the clip a woman can be heard saying “I need a straw”.

Moments later Smith leans over, appears to sniff something and then wipes his nose.

He now says he hopes his situation is goo for people to see “the path they don’t want to go down”.

“I want to inspire people if they’ve made the wrong decisions or are struggling,” he said.

“There’s always rock bottom, but you can always pick yourself back up from there.

“I own it, I don’t shy away from it … but it’s hard to own up to that when it’s such an embarrassing thing.

“It’s a period of my life where I feel ashamed.

“I’m extremely remorseful, embarrassed … it’s something I’ve got to live with.”

On Sunday afternoon, the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph posted a story saying Smith was likely to be interviewed midweek and would likely cop a penalty for “conduct unbecoming”.

Smith looking dejected after a loss. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

But Ralph wrote that Smith’s decision to take responsibility and apologise will be in his favour and that the publication “understands Smith will be prepared to accept that it was him in the video at a Gold Coast nightclub in October and that the substance he took was cocaine”.

Smith is currently serving a two-week ban for headbutting but an extra two weeks would see him return in round 18.

He also received praise for his statement on Saturday for taking responsibility for his actions.

“I have recently been made aware of the presence of social media content that shows me with an illicit substance,” Smith’s statement read.

“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.

“After much reflection, I am now in a position to confess to indulging in behaviours in late 2021 of which I am deeply ashamed.

“I do not have an excuse for those behaviours, however the state of my mental health over that period post Grand Final dramatically deteriorated, and I spiralled out of control leading to poor decision making and actions at the time. All of this resulting in the leave I took from football at the commencement of pre-season training late last year.”