Karmichael Hunt says he was compelled to name players in police...

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    Karmichael Hunt says he was compelled to name players in police statement about cocaine use

    Posted about 2 hours ago
    PHOTO: Compelled to name names ... Karmichael Hunt. (AAP: Dave Hunt)
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    Disgraced football star Karmichael Hunt says he has contacted every player he named in a statement to Queensland police about cocaine use.
    Hunt was arrested on charges of supplying cocaine in February and a month later was fined $2,500 by the Southport Magistrates Court and ordered to have drug counselling after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine in September and October last year.
    Statements he made to police - which were leaked to the media - have allegedly implicated around a dozen AFL and NRL players who attended Mad Monday celebrations in August.
    In a revealing interview on Channel Seven on Sunday night, Hunt says he was compelled by the Crime and Corruption Commission to tell the truth, or face real jail time.
    "I have made my mistakes and as I have mentioned I have put my hand up and owned it," he said.
    "I was ignorant to the fact that I could get in trouble. In all honesty as dark as it has been, it is probably the greatest awakening that I've had."
    Hunt said he had no choice but to name names, but insisted the players were understanding and realised he had no choice.
    "I guess the whole 'ratting on my mates' notion that is out there, dobbing my mates in to to save myself, was pretty disappointing," he said.
    "I was compelled to talk, I was compelled to turn up to the CCC and obviously talk and if I didn't the repercussions were pretty serious."
    No drug culture at Suns as Hunt reaches out to Bennell

    PHOTO: The Suns' Harley Bennell was shown in photos published by the Herald Sun, appearing to be using illicit drugs. (AAP: Dan Peled)

    On top of his fines, Hunt also copped a six-week ban from the Queensland Reds, was stripped of his vice-captaincy, fined $30,000 by the Super Rugby franchise and ordered to have drug counselling.
    AFL club the Gold Coast Suns have urged players to come forward about anything relating to drug use. There were players with Hunt at the Suns' Mad Monday in late August and on a golf trip to the Sunshine Coast.
    But Hunt has denied there is a drug culture at the AFL club.
    "I have been reading stories about a drug culture here and there - that's not the truth," Hunt said.
    He has reached out to Harley Bennell after the publication of photoswhich appeared to show the Suns young gun using illicit drugs in a Launceston hotel room, in March 2013.
    He said he contacted former Gold Coast team-mates to support Bennell after the photos emerged.
    He hoped Bennell could follow his lead and learn from his mistakes.
    "Harley is going to have to do the same [owning his mistakes] going forward," he said.
    The Suns have not ruled out speaking to Hunt as part of their overhaul of drug testing and policies in light of the code hopper's claims and Bennell's pictures.
    ABC/AAP

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-...tatement-police-players/6596706?section=sport
 
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