Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has spoken out against personal attacks on sportspeople after AFL contemporary James Hird was treated for a reported overdose.
Buckley did not refer directly to Hird, but he shared a message about the public pressures faced by high-profile football figures.
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Essendon offers support following Hird health scare
Following a suspected overdose, players showed up to training and kept mum about their distressed coach. Vision courtesy Seven News, Melbourne.
He urged people to address and critique the work of sporting professionals, but said personal attacks were not in the public interest.Â
Hird was the senior coach at Essendon in 2012Â when the club was running its supplements program, later found to have broken anti-doping rules.
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Hird and 34 Bombers players who took part inthe supplements programme later served 12-month bans from football as punishment for participating in the program.
Hird's health scare has prompted debate about the treatment of sportspeople by reporters and onlookers, with some arguing the media's treatment of the former coach had breached his privacy.
The presumption that people who play sport well are bullet proof allows personal attacks hidden behind "public interest". (Pt 1)
— Nathan Buckley (@ncb_cfc) January 5, 2017
Keep us honest and critically analyse professional efforts but allow clubs to manage and support people in all their brilliance and foibles.
— Nathan Buckley (@ncb_cfc) January 5, 2017
If you are troubled by this report or experiencing a personal crisis you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au