i hope cousins is ok!, page-3

Tiger Ben Cousins under sedation in hospital
Jon Ralph, Tony Sheahan From: Herald Sun July 05, 2010 12:37PM

Cousins pill scare

UPDATE 4.15pm: RICHMOND star Ben Cousins' playing future is up in the air as he remains under sedation in hospital following a reaction to a sleeping tablet.

The Tigers said this afternoon they were unsure when, or if, Cousins would play again.

Cousins was admitted to Epworth Hospital at about 11.45am after his girlfriend could not rouse him this morning and phoned club doctor Greg Hickey.

He spent about two hours in the emergency ward before being moved to intensive care for observation.

Richmond football manager Craig Cameron said Cousins had not been drinking after the Tigers' rousing win against Sydney yesterday and spent the night with his girlfriend.

Cameron confirmed Cousins had suffered a reaction to a prescription sleeping pill, but he could not say what the pill was or how many Cousins had taken.

He said the condition was not related to a stomach problem that forced Cousins to spend several days in hospital before Round 1.


Cousins will spend tonight in hospital and may stay longer.

Quizzed on when Cousins may return to football, Cameron said the club's primary concern was with the health of its star midfielder.

Witnesses told Channel 9 he appeared unconscious as he was wheeled on a stretcher after arriving at hospital.

His hospital admission comes just hours after he played a key role in the Tigers come from behind win, collecting 21 possessions.

Cousins was forced to spend days in hospital in the lead-up to Round 1, with doctors struggling to find the cause of the complaint.

After an interrupted pre-season he has played excellent football in recent weeks and has expressed a desire to play on with Richmond next season.

The midfielder's career has been marred by highly-publicised off-field incidents involving recreational drug use.

He was banned from the AFL for one year in 2007 for "bringing the game into disrepute."

Cousins was cleared to return to the game and drafted by Richmond in December 2008, leading to a surge in the club's membership.

He has been ordered by the AFL to undergo regular drug tests.

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