Banned Demon breaks silence after drug ban

Former Demon Joel Smith has spoken out for the first time since his drug-related ban in October of 2024.

The 29-year-old copped a four-year ban from all World Anti-Doping Authority-compliant competitions due to multiple violations of the anti-doping rules from 2022 to 2023.

Speaking on ‘The Watch with Ben Gibson’, Smith spoke of the difficulties faced in his personal life due to the public nature of the ban.

“I reckon the first four to five months I went through it, it was horrible,” Smith told The Watch podcast.

“The process you have got to go through, it took a toll on me.

“The kicker was the effect it has on the people around you, your family, my partner’s family, the club.

“You don’t really take into account that sort of stuff, and I felt like that was the tough one, just seeing how much it actually effected people around me.

“I took a lot of great learnings from this, yes, I made a mistake, but people make mistakes, you grow, and you learn.

“My partner always said to me, you look so much happier and healthier than you did then, so I feel like that’s a positive for me to come out of it, and it’s a mistake you’ll never make again.”

With over two years remaining on his ban, Smith is still holding out hope of a potential top level return to football.

But plenty of water is still to go under the bridge before then.

“You never say never,” he continued.

“I’ve got two and a half years to go, so I’m going to go back to play footy.

“If I get another crack at AFL or whatever it is, playing local, I’ll definitely be going back into playing footy of some sort.

“Even if I just come back, play four years, I’ll be 36.

“If I can come and potentially give a team something, that would be great.

“For me, fitness is a big part to keep me happy and sane and healthy.”

Garry Lyon and Tim Watson provided their thoughts on SEN Breakfast, commending Smith’s ability to grow from the situation.

Watson: “Garry, I say this all the time to you, and I think you’ll agree with me, we are all a work in progress.”

Lyon: “Of course we are, and we all make mistakes.

“It’s how you respond and react and learn and it appears that Joel, just by listening to that, it sounds like he has got perspective around it and hopefully his life can continue on.”