football and drugs

Drugs in sport - a perennial issue. This time it's "recreational" drugs.
West Coast Eagles, the reigning premiers, have suspended star midfielder, Ben Cousins, indefinitely for breaching team rules as a result of his "personal problems". He's been in the news a few times for alcohol-related stuff-ups and there have been plenty of rumours about cocaine, ecstacy, amphetamines. He's also been known to keep the company of some pretty shady types in Perth.
There's been a lot of debate in the papers about who's responsible here - society, money and lifestyle, the AFL, the club, the media, etc. I can't help thinking that the individual has to take responsibility - it's his choice to mix with the company he does, it's his choice to party excessively when he knows he shouldn't. Cousins has got away with a fair bit in the last couple of years. People have been prepared to sweep it all under the carpet because he is such a good player - but that's no help to someone who apparently has little self-control when not on the footy field.
I guess he's about to pay the price now. The speculation is that he might never play again. That'd be a shame.
The Age