Ben Cousins sacked by West Coast in AFL drug scandal
{{date|October 19, 2007}}
{{Australian news}}
[[w:Ben Cousins|Ben Cousins]], the former [[w:West Coast Eagles|West Coast Eagles]] [[w:Australian Football League|AFL]] team captain has been forcedly removed from the West Coast Eagles and is 'no longer a registered player', according to an AFL spokesperson. 

Cousins was pulled over by police on Tuesday for erratic driving. Police charged the player with one drug charge and failing to provide a blood test. The drug charge was dropped today but the blood test charge still lingers, after police had found the drug [[w:Valium|Valium]] solely in pill form - the drug is only illegal in the liquid form (for injection).

Cousins had already been temporarily suspended by the West Coast Eagles prior to the 2007 season but has never actually tested positive to illicit drugs. Cousins then underwent rehabilitation in the USA in early 2007 and agreed to return to the club under a number of conditions, including a 'zero-tolerance clause', according to The Sunday Times this morning.

West Coast still stands in its decision to sack Cousins.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.afl.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=208&newsId=52642
|title=Cousins drug charge dropped
|author=Australian Associated Press with the Australian Football League
|pub=Australian Football League
|date=October 19, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22613342-948,00.html
|title=Police to drop Ben Cousins drug charge, says lawyer
|author=Nicole Cox, Jim Kelly and AAP
|pub=The Sunday Times
|date=October 19, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22613342-948,00.html
|title=Police to drop Ben Cousins drug charge, says lawyer
|author=Nicole Cox, Jim Kelly and AAP
|pub=The Sunday Times
|date=October 19, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=306866
|title=Tough for Cousins to return: Demetriou
|author=Australian Associated Press
|pub=Nine's Wide World of Sports
|date=October 18, 2007}}

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[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Diazepam]]
Ben Cousins, the former West Coast Eagles AFL team captain has been forcedly removed from the West Coast Eagles and is 'no longer a registered player', according to an AFL spokesperson. 

Cousins was pulled over by police on Tuesday for erratic driving. Police charged the player with one drug charge and failing to provide a blood test. The drug charge was dropped today but the blood test charge still lingers, after police had found the drug Valium solely in pill form - the drug is only illegal in the liquid form (for injection).

Cousins had already been temporarily suspended by the West Coast Eagles prior to the 2007 season but has never actually tested positive to illicit drugs. Cousins then underwent rehabilitation in the USA in early 2007 and agreed to return to the club under a number of conditions, including a 'zero-tolerance clause', according to The Sunday Times this morning.

West Coast still stands in its decision to sack Cousins.
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