AFL star suspended over car crash
Herald-Sun breaking news
July 18, 2006 05:16pm
CONTROVERSIAL West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner has been suspended indefinitely and fined $5000 by the AFL club after he admitted to drinking alcohol before crashing his car last night.
West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett said the Eagles match committee had recommended that the 27-year-old Gardiner be suspended following a long meeting today. "It is a decision not taken lightly and it is something that there was a lot of thought given to," said Nisbett.
"Mike has let a lot of people down, more importantly himself, because he was on track and things were going well for him.
"He informed us of the incident early this morning and we believe we have taken the appropriate action."
Nisbett said it was unlikely that Gardiner's playing contract, which is due to expire at the end of this season, would be renewed.
But he did say the club would work with Gardiner to counsel him for his ongoing problems, which Nisbett said included depression.
Gardiner is expected to be charged with drink-driving following the accident in the northern beachside suburb of Scarborough at 11.30pm (WST) last night.
Gardiner was taken to hospital with minor injuries after the crash, when his car struck a street sign and careered into two parked cars.
Gardiner's black Holden Commodore and one of the parked cars, a Holden Statesman, were extensively damaged and may have been written-off, police said.
The other vehicle was also damaged substantially.
Police questioned Gardiner at the scene of the crash and said he had been very cooperative.
He was breath-tested and his car was searched.
Gardiner had only forced his way back into the Eagles team three weeks ago after the club sent him back to WAFL club Claremont indefinitely in February for drinking alcohol the night before a practice match.
Second-placed West Coast's next AFL game is against Collingwood at Telstra Dome on Saturday.
Gardiner will be badly missed by the Eagles as their leading ruckman Dean Cox will not play for the next month as he recovers from a broken collarbone.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,19832283-5005961,00.html
