Sport
23 February, 2023
Ginnivan receives two-game ban over illicit substance use
Newstead local Jack Ginnivan will be forced to miss the opening two rounds of the upcoming AFL season, with the livewire Collingwood forward admitting to illicit drug use. Ginnivan was spotted by a member of the public in the toilets in the Torquay...
Newstead local Jack Ginnivan will be forced to miss the opening two rounds of the upcoming AFL season, with the livewire Collingwood forward admitting to illicit drug use.
Ginnivan was spotted by a member of the public in the toilets in the Torquay Hotel in January, with video footage surfacing later on. The AFL Integrity Unit was then contacted by Collingwood regarding the vision.
It means that Ginnivan will be suspended for the Magpies’ first two games of the 2023 season against Geelong and Port Adelaide respectively, while he has also been stood down from their upcoming practice matches.
Ginnivan has also been applied with a suspended fine of $5000 and undertake education about illicit drug use and its effects, while he will also not be able to participate in Collingwood’s VFL matches.
Collingwood general manager of football Graham Wright said in a club statement that the club were disappointed with what had occurred.
“As a club, we are incredibly disappointed to have observed vision showing Jack Ginnivan with an illicit substance,” he said.
“The vision was captured by a member of the public following the club pre-season camp in January and was distributed to media in recent days.
“All players and staff are continually educated on appropriate behaviours and we expect everyone at our club to uphold the highest of standards as representatives of the wider Collingwood community, our members, supporters and corporate partners.”
Ginnivan released a statement on his Instagram story on Saturday night.
“I want to take ownership of my actions in the vision which shows me with an illicit substance. I understand that as an AFL player, I have standards I need to meet and, on this occasion, I have fallen well short of the standards expected of me as a footballer and as a representative of Collingwood,” he wrote.
“I am truly sorry to everyone that I have let down with my behaviour. Firstly, my family and the Collingwood football family who each support me so well on and off the field. To our club members and fans, our sponsors and the AFL, I am aware my poor decision-making has impacted on all of you and, for that, I also apologise.
“I have made mistakes along the way and I'm determined to learn from them in order to be the best person and footballer I can be to avoid letting people down which is what I have done here.”
Ginnivan kicked 40 goals in 23 matches last year, becoming a key reason for Collingwood’s rise up the ladder from 17th in 2021 into a preliminary final last year.