Harley Balic: Father of footy star who was found dead during his drug addiction battle reveals why he blames the AFL for his son’s tragic end
- Former AFL star Harley Balic died in 2022 aged just 25
- His father Eddie was stunned as he kept his son’s drug use a secret
- Midfielder was placed in the ‘medical model’ of the code
The shattered father of former footy star Harley Balic has blamed the AFL’s controversial policy on illegal drug use for his son’s tragic death.
Balic was just 25 when he died in a Melbourne hotel room in January 2022, a victim of his ongoing drug addiction.
During his three-year playing career with the Fremantle Dockers and Melbourne Demons, Balic was placed in the AFL’s ‘medical model’, where players are not punished for testing positive for illegal drugs.
It comes as a Sport Integrity Australia investigation has begun into the league’s controversial illegal drugs policy.
“I believe the AFL has a duty of care to formally intervene early with young, vulnerable players identified as having substance abuse issues,” Balic’s father Eddie said. News Corp.
The shattered father of former footy star Harley Balic (pictured) has revealed why he blames the AFL for his son’s tragic death
Balic (pictured right) was just 25 when he died in a Melbourne hotel room in January 2022, a victim of his ongoing drug addiction
“I also believe that had better support for my son been put in place early, this tragic outcome may have been prevented.
“The big disappointment is that the AFL knew a lot and we as a family weren’t told… that we might have saved him.
“To this day, I am disappointed that no one from the AFL’s senior management ever contacted me regarding the devastating loss of my son.”
Under the AFL’s ‘medical model’, players identified as occasional or regular drug users are exempt from the league’s three strikes program.
Players, in turn, could be tested before matches to ensure they do not return a positive result – and then reportedly ruled out with fake injuries to avoid suspensions under the Global Anti-Doping Code.
Balic, a star junior in Melbourne with the Sandringham Dragons, was drafted by Fremantle with pick 38 in the 2015 national draft.
The midfielder made four appearances for the Dockers in 2017 before being traded back to Melbourne.
Balic (pictured centre, playing for Fremantle against West Coast) announced his immediate retirement from the sport in August 2018
Harley Balic plunged into icy water during Victoria’s 2020 lockdowns to raise awareness of mental health issues
The footy star’s mother Nancy paid tribute to her son in a birthday photo (pictured) just days before his death.
He was dropped by the Demons after just one season, failing to play senior footy.
After announcing his retirement in 2018, Balic turned his attention to helping others.
As Melburnians entered their first of many Covid lockdowns in 2020, Balic plunged into icy waters in the hope of drawing attention to the population’s hidden mental health crisis.
What started as a 30-day challenge grew to 50 days as then-Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ lockdowns dragged on.
‘Regardless of your situation, you are not alone. Do things that make the situation you are facing less chaotic instead of more,” Balic posted after 30 days.
‘I’m no angel, but this has helped with clarity and routine.’
Balic worked at Monash Health as a mental health worker before sadly taking his own life four years later.
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