Shelbourne’s Craig Walsh has thanked the Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel which took into account his personal difficulties, including a severe gambling addiction, when handing down a 12-month suspension for a doping violation.
Sport Ireland and the FAI today today announced that the panel determined Walsh had committed an anti-doping offence after testing positive for Benzoylecgonine [a metabolite of cocaine], but reduced his period of ineligibility based on 'No Significant Fault' or 'Negligence'.
In a statement issued by the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland on behalf of Walsh, the midfielder outlined the gambling addiction which led to an “impairment of judgement”.
Walsh has revealed the debilitating effects of his gambling addiction which he says led to him taking drugs for the first and only time in his life.
The former Shamrock Rovers, Longford, UCD and Bohemians player says he has taken responsibility for his regretful actions, and wanted to clarify the actions “which were completely out of character”.
“I suffer from a severe gambling addiction and have done for some years now,” he said.
“It is debilitating and all consuming and, like most addictions, when it unleashes its full power, it becomes impossible to control. It has also caused me to suffer depressive symptoms as a consequence.
“On the night of 3 September 2015, I hit rock bottom. I had lost far more money than I possessed and I lost control of my senses.
“My gambling problem had become more and more acute and I didn’t know where to turn. My judgement was impaired to such an extent that I drank to excess [on that particular night] and then took a small amount of cocaine which was offered to me during a period when I was unable to exercise any level of self control.
“This is the first and last time that I have taken that, or any other, drug, and I regret it hugely.”
The 24-year-old says he is receiving psychiatric help to address his gambling problem and has thanked the appeals panel for taking this into consideration in determining the length of his ban.
“The appeal panel took this into account when determining the length of suspension and I am grateful for their understanding.
“There is a lack of appreciation in the football community and society as a whole as to the detrimental effects of gambling and I would like my story to be a salutary lesson.
“I have been receiving counselling since the incident which has been organised through the PFA Ireland which I have found very beneficial.
“I am back on the right track now and I have offered to assist other players and give the benefit of my experience which I would not wish on anyone.”
Walsh reiterated his desire to get back into the game when the ban is lifted on 4 September and has vowed to return a “better player”.
“While the experience has been a personal nightmare, it has made me a stronger person with a greater insight to the extent of the issues I had been dealing with.”
