Gordon Robinson | The underbelly of professional sports

I know many of you are chafing at the bit to read more about JLP vs PNP.

Especially these days, sycophants’ political anxiety can only be calmed by opinions favourable to one and unfavourable to the other political cult. But the bad news is recent trending electoral statistics establish sycophants are in the minority. More than 60 per cent of Jamaica understand there are other, often far more important, issues.

One such is mental health. In that category I’m particularly interested in stress related incidents involving high profile athletes. Four weeks ago I wrote about horseracing’s cockeyed economic priorities which were true causes of the industry’s decline.

Among other obstacles to success I blamed the Promoter’s wilful blindness to the welfare of most vulnerable stakeholders namely grooms. I quoted a wealthy UK racehorse owner who lamented grooms’ poor pay and working conditions. He suggested this led to mental health issues; excessive alcohol and drugs intake; and even suicide.

But drugs and alcohol in sports aren’t restricted to thoroughbred racehorse grooms. Have you noticed the relatively recent spate of single vehicle motorcar accidents involving big name athletes?

This statement from Thames Valley Police was reproduced by The Thoroughbred Daily News (June 26, 2025):

“Last Thursday (19/6) Oisin Murphy, aged 29, was charged by postal requisition with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside.

‘The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision around 12.05am on Sunday 27 April when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree.’”

For readers still following the Worst Indies instead of English horseracing, Irish jockey, Oisin Murphy, is a four time English Champion Jockey (2019-2021; 2024) and winner of two British Classics. He is NOT among the most vulnerable regarding earnings but the stresses of being a jockey at the highest level are just as difficult.

For jockeys it’s usually all about weight or, more specifically, avoidance of it. Racing legend Lester Piggott, who wasn’t naturally light, would famously live on cigars and champagne during the season to keep his weight down. He was considered phenomenally disciplined. But I doubt he ever drove under the influence. That suggests a deeper issue and Oisin admitted he has been in counseling for four years.

Clearly, it hasn’t helped.

Oisin Murphy was fined £70,000.00 and banned from driving for twenty months. Additionally, according to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) “incredibly strict conditions” were imposed on his jockey’s licence.

Are similar policies in place at Jamaica Racing Commission? Are jockeys, under any sort of strict monitoring and control regarding doping? Their and other jockeys’ lives are routinely at risk in every single race at Caymanas Park. Is there a random testing regime similar to the one for athletics operated by WADA? After every Caymanas Park race, at least two finishers are sent to the testing barn but not one jockey. Why aren’t we testing winning jockeys after races as we test track and field winners?

Is there a counseling protocol available for detected drug abusers?

But, drugs and alcohol abuse is more widespread than horseracing. Addiction knows no sport and respects nobody.

Bob Probert, famously one of National Hockey League’s toughest “enforcers”, battled lifelong drug and alcohol abuse. He was arrested in 1989 for cocaine possession and served three months in prison. In 1994, he crashed his motorcycle in suburban Detroit. Police announced his blood-alcohol level was over three times the legal limit. Cocaine traces were found in his blood.

When Bob died of a heart attack at 45, on July 5, 2010, an autopsy found evidence of brain damage in the form of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head trauma. Is it plausible to connect dots from NHL’s violent sport through Bob’s head injury to his addictions? Is there an underbelly in professional sports that regulators need to address?

Two other stories piqued my interest. Remember the horrific single car crash that seems to have ended Tiger Woods’s quest to better Jack Nicklaus’s Major Championships record? On February 23, 2021, his car hit the median; crossed into the opposing traffic lane; hit the curb; hit a tree; and flipped several times. Tiger was conscious when first responders arrived.

According to US Weekly:

“…Authorities noted that…there was ‘no evidence of impairment.’

Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva added ‘This is purely an accident. We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash. This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime.’”

Okay, we hear you. All three times! Accident!! But, for some reason known only to the Sherriff’s office, no blood alcohol test “whatsoever” was done.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) had a slightly different take:

“Authorities say Tiger Woods was speeding excessively when he crashed his car in southern California….

Woods was driving at speeds of 135-140 kph on a downhill stretch of road that had a speed limit of 45 miles per hour (just above 72kph), Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.

The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers hitting speeds so high that there’s an emergency exit for runaway vehicles just beyond where Woods crashed. Officer Villanueva blamed the February 23 crash solely on excessive speed and Woods losing control behind the wheel. Sheriff’s Captain James Powers said there was no evidence that the golfer braked, and that it was believed Woods inadvertently hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.”

Gee Willikers, Cap’n, them thar’s real powers of investigative speculation.

ABC continued:

“Detectives did not seek search warrants for the athlete’s blood samples, which could have been screened for drugs or alcohol, or his phone.

“Sheriff’s officials said Woods told deputies that he had not taken medication or alcohol before the crash. Authorities said there was no evidence of impairment or of distracted driving, so they didn’t have probable cause to get those warrants.”

Hang on a sec… Didn’t you just say you “believed” he “inadvertently” hit accelerator instead of brake? THAT didn’t suggest distraction (or impairment)? If so ain’t you curious what distracted (or impaired)? Most of us are breathalysed for driving erratically even at below the speed limit. Sheesh!

“No traffic citations were issued…..

“Documents show Woods told deputies he didn’t know how the crash occurred and didn’t remember driving.”

Sgt Shultz would be proud “I know NOTHEEEEENG!” But he did remember BEFORE the crash not drinking or taking “medication”.

Ohhhhhkaaaaay….

The next one isn’t about the same “accident”. I promise.

This from a BBC interview:

“Michail Antonio does not know how he crashed his car into the tree. All he knows is that he did.

‘The police came and when they found me I was in between the two seats. I wasn’t actually in the driver’s seat,’ he recalls.

“Saturday, 7 December had started out as a typical morning for Antonio, with West Ham training for a televised league match against Wolves. He remembers the weather ‘was windy, wet and horrific’ on a day when the Met Office had issued warnings for Storm Darragh.

“Antonio had felt ‘lazy’ when his partner asked him to retrieve some bags from their other car before he set off, so instead he took his Ferrari - which he says he had doubts about.

‘The back of the car kept swinging out on me, so I didn’t feel safe,’ he says. ‘I had had it for three weeks and I was already thinking about giving it back.’

It was a decision that changed everything, but when asked what he remembers about the crash itself - which occurred on his way home - his answer is ‘nothing’.”

Scientific proof car crashes causes specific amnesia?

“Police ruled out drink or drugs as involved. Antonio himself said he has never taken drugs. ‘I’ve never taken drugs in my life. I’ve said I like a drink. But in this situation, there were no drugs, there was no drink’

He also said he was driving his Ferrari at 30-35mph when it hit the tree.”

As a young lawyer I regularly appeared in motor vehicle accident trials. Every driver I ever questioned was driving at 30-35 mph which is how I know it’s the world’s most dangerous speed.

Addressing mental health issues in professional sport is complex. It needs a village that includes regulators and law enforcement working together for the athlete’s welfare. It seems police investigations of “accidents” involving high profile sportsmen are conclusively inconclusive. Maybe Oisin was unlucky.

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com