AFL chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou said he hopes Ben Cousins can get his life back on track following the disgraced football star's arrest on a drug charge.
Cousins was arrested at Esperance Airport in Western Australia's south on Tuesday night and has been charged with possession with intent to sell or supply methylamphetamine.
It is alleged the 33-year-old was in possession of 4.56 grams of the drug.
The former football star flew back to Perth on Wednesday night after being released on bail and will face the Perth Magistrates Court on Monday.
A confessed methamphetamine addict, Cousins had been attending a drug rehabilitation clinic in Esperance - called Teen Challenge - for the past month.
Demetriou said the AFL Players' Association in particular continued to offer support to Cousins, along with his clubs and the wider football industry.
"We are all hopeful that he can keep his life on track, as this has been an extremely sad story for him, his family and those close to him," he said.
Cousins, who has had a very public battle with methamphetamine addiction over the years, was one of the most decorated West Coast Eagles players, winning the 2005 Brownlow Medal and playing in their 2006 premiership side, before the club sacked him in late 2007 because of his drug use.
He was suspended for 12 months by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute before ending his playing career with the Richmond Tigers in 2010.
AAP
Tags: australian-football-league, sport, drug-offences, crime, law-crime-and-justice, perth-6000, wa, australia First posted March 29, 2012 20:17:44