Sunday, March 7, 2021
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
Trends Wide
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Trending
  • Australia
  • Deals
  • Cryptocurrency
No Result
View All Result
Trends Wide
Home Australia

Sam Burgess: Claims about Rabbitohs Dr Andrew McDonald under formal investigation

souhaib by souhaib
February 23, 2021
in Australia
0
493
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


The hits keep coming for Sam Burgess with authorities confirming a formal investigation is underway into claims involving the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ chief doctor and the former rugby league star.

The Australian newspaper last year published allegations that longtime club medico Dr Andrew McDonald prescribed a liquid tranquiliser to calm down Burgess, 32, in November 2018 following wild partying. 

But the article, which was recently tendered in court, claimed that Dr McDonald had actually made the Diazepam prescription out in the name of the football star’s father-in-law Mitchell Hooke. 

The extraordinary allegations caught the attention of the state’s Health Care Complaints Commission, which began a preliminary 60 day probe of the allegations last October. 

Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the medical watchdog is now forging ahead with a full, formal investigation into the allegations in the article. 

More Sam Burgess woes: The now-retired footballer is pictured (main) with Souths club doctor Andrew McDonald (right). Allegations involving a prescription by Dr McDonald for Burgess are under investigation by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission

Sam Burgess has come under an intense media spotlight since his marriage broke down to wife Phoebe (above on right)

 Sam Burgess has come under an intense media spotlight since his marriage broke down to wife Phoebe (above on right) 

‘Yes, the Commission has launched a formal investigation,’ executive officer Louise Robinson said. 

Ms Robinson said the investigation was ‘well underway’, and the average probe takes about eight months.  

‘To preserve the integrity of the Commission’s investigation process, we are unable to disclose further specific details at this time.’ 

Dr McDonald declined to comment via a representative at his sports medicine clinic in Sydney’s east. 

Questions were put to South Sydney, the club he has worked as the chief doctor for 25 years. 

The Australian’s article also made separate claims involving another unnamed doctor giving Burgess a blood test in an underground car park. 

Dr McDonald is a respected sports medicine doctor who has worked with the South Sydney Rabbitohs since 1996. Above with UFC star Robert Whittaker

Dr McDonald is a respected sports medicine doctor who has worked with the South Sydney Rabbitohs since 1996. Above with UFC star Robert Whittaker 

The revelation of the formal investigation comes a day after Burgess allegedly tested positive to cocaine during a roadside test on Monday. 

Police will allege Burgess, 32, was driving an unregistered car, a BMX X5, at the time. It’s understood he was on his way to pick up his children. 

A source close to Burgess told Daily Mail Australia he had not planned to be near where he was pulled over – in the state’s Southern Highlands – until plans to pick up the children were changed.

The retired footballer and TV star also had no idea the registration for his black BMW X5 had been suspended after he failed to pay $1,200 in parking and traffic fines. The case will go to court in May.  

Intriguingly, the medical watchdog’s investigation may never have happened without Burgess’s ex-wife Phoebe and her father Mitchell Hooke cooperating with The Australian. 

The Australian’s article was tendered in court during a hearing last year where Burgess was found guilty of intimidating Phoebe’s father at their Bowral property. 

At a hearing in November, Phoebe admitted giving damaging documents about Sam to the newspaper which were used in the report.

Both Phoebe Burgess (above) and her father Mitchell Hooke participated in The Australian's expose of allegations about Sam last year

According to an article tendered in court, Mr Hooke (above) claimed Dr McDonald made a prescription out for liquid tranquiliser in Sam's father-in-law's name

Both Phoebe Burgess and her father Mitchell Hooke participated in The Australian’s expose of allegations about Sam last year

In January, Burgess was found guilty of intimidating his father at the Hooke family property in the Southern Highlands two years ago. He will appeal the charge

In January, Burgess was found guilty of intimidating his father at the Hooke family property in the Southern Highlands two years ago. He will appeal the charge  

Meanwhile, the newspaper itself described an on-the-record interview with Mr Hooke. 

In that interview, Mr Hooke alleged that Dr McDonald ‘started writing out a script’ after speaking to him about his then son-in-law’s condition. 

Mr Hooke recalled being handed the prescription. ‘I looked at it and I said: ‘What’s the script for?’ He said: ‘Liquid valium’. 

Mr Hooke claimed he said: ‘This is in my name’ to which he alleged Dr McDonald said ‘yep’. 

Dr Hooke claimed he questioned the decision but ‘had no alternative. 

‘Even my faint knowledge of the law knows that that’s not right but I had a doctor telling me there’s no other way’, Mr Hooke was quoted saying, according to the court record.

The newspaper also produced an alleged record of the prescription in its article. Phoebe Burgess claimed that Dr McDonald administered the drug. 

The allegations involving Dr McDonald will be tested during the investigation. 

He returned to work with the Rabbitohs following the revelations of an initial probe by the watchdog last year. 



Source link

Related posts

Man sparks heated debate after asking if vinegar or salt should be put on chips first

March 7, 2021

The dark side of OnlyFans: Teen girl has her Instagram pictures targeted by online criminals

March 7, 2021
Tags: dailymail australia
Next Post

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 Announced for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECOMMENDED NEWS

Teachers and police officers may not be prioritised in vaccine roll-out

3 weeks ago

Jerry Seinfeld sets record straight on THAT awkward Larry King interview after host died aged 87

1 month ago

US dollar index under pressure as risk-on sentiment intensifies

3 months ago

Base pay set to rise in 20 states as $15 floor spreads

2 months ago

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

  • Australia
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Culture
  • Deals
  • Discounts
  • Economie
  • Euro
  • Gaming
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized

BROWSE BY TOPICS

2018 League abc Australia Bali United bbc bbc health Budget Travel Champions League Chopper Bike cnn ar business dailymail dailymail australia dailymail heath dailymail money dailymail sport day 7 euronews Health https://lenews.ch/feed/ IGN Istana Negara Market Stories National Exam rt arabic usa today usa today money usa today sport Visit Bali Women Fashion

POPULAR NEWS

  • Watch .. Lebanese astronomer Michel Hayek reveals his predictions for the year 2021

    1141 shares
    Share 456 Tweet 285
  • Help save a local business

    1006 shares
    Share 402 Tweet 252
  • Love Insurance

    978 shares
    Share 391 Tweet 245
  • 5 places to visit in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

    871 shares
    Share 348 Tweet 218
  • Reece Parkinson: A shock diagnosis won’t stop me running

    737 shares
    Share 295 Tweet 184

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • Man City 0-2 Man Utd: Bruno Fernandes & Luke Shaw seal derby win
  • Man sparks heated debate after asking if vinegar or salt should be put on chips first
  • An explosion is heard in the city of Dhahran, eastern Saudi Arabia

Category

  • Australia
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Culture
  • Deals
  • Discounts
  • Economie
  • Euro
  • Gaming
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Switzerland
  • Trending
  • Uncategorized

Recent News

Man City 0-2 Man Utd: Bruno Fernandes & Luke Shaw seal derby win

March 7, 2021

Man sparks heated debate after asking if vinegar or salt should be put on chips first

March 7, 2021
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Culture
  • National
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.