Bulldogs superstar Bailey Smith is suspended for two games after making bombshell drugs confession

Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has been suspended for two games by the AFL for illicit substance use.

The AFL found Smith guilty of ‘conduct unbecoming’ and also handed him a ‘notifiable adverse finding’, or strike, under the league’s illicit drug policy.

Video and images emerged last week of Smith with a white powder, with the 21-year-old later apologising for ‘indulging in behaviours in late 2021 of which I am deeply ashamed’.

Smith admitted to illicit substance use when he was interviewed by the AFL this week.

The photo that kicked off a scandal: This image of Smith holding what he later admitted was an illicit substance emerged last Sunday and was quickly followed by a damning nightclub video 

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The footage showed Smith snorting an illegal substance. Soon after it came to light online, Smith confessed to drug use in a bombshell statement 

He is already serving a two-game suspension for headbutting Geelong’s Zach Tuohy.

The AFL ban rules Smith out of games against Brisbane and Sydney, on top of the GWS and Hawthorn clashes he is already suspended for.

The footage and photos were taken late last year, after the Bulldogs lost the grand final to Melbourne.

Smith confessed he ‘spiralled out of control’ after the defeat.

‘I do not have an excuse for those behaviours, however the state of my mental health over that period post Grand Final dramatically deteriorated, and I spiralled out of control leading to poor decision making and actions at the time,’ he said last Sunday.

‘All of this resulting in the leave I took from football at the commencement of pre-season training late last year.’

Smith played against Geelong on June 3 and was suspended for two games for headbutting Zach Tuohy. He won’t be back on the field until the July 15 game against St Kilda

The AFL confirmed that Smith’s offence ‘also constitutes a notifiable adverse finding under the AFL’s Illicit Drugs Policy’ in a statement released on Thursday.

Western Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains said there was a silver lining to Bailey’s troubles after news of the penalty broke.

‘Bailey has shown clear contrition and remorse over recent days, and has spoken openly and maturely about his challenges,’ Bains said in a statement.

‘As we have stated, we do not condone the behaviour in question and remain very disappointed it occurred.

‘We are pleased however that Bailey has assumed unqualified responsibility for the mistake he has made and is intent on learning from it.