- Mitch Robinson criticises drug testers for targeting Rhys Mathieson
- The former football star has put on considerable muscle mass since leaving the AFL
- Drug testers made a surprise visit to Mathieson’s parents’ home
Former AFL star Mitch Robinson has criticised the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) after drug testers turned up at Rhys Mathieson’s parents’ home in the early hours of the morning.
Mathieson, a former Lions midfielder who was delisted last year, went viral after photos of his physical transformation circulated online.
The 27-year-old has clearly spent a lot of time in the gym this year, adding bulk to his already strong frame.
An Instagram post, which has received more than 5,000 likes, shows him playing football for QAFL side Wilston Grang Gorillas and looking like a completely different player to the one who took to the field in 2023.
Mathieson has since received a surprise visit from ASADA at 5am, and his friend Robinson is not happy about it.
“After Matho blew up on social media this year over his earnings, it emerged that Barometer was ‘randomly’ subjected to a drug test by ASADA (in local football)… Embarrassingly for them, he came back completely clean,” Robinson posted on social media.
Robinson took aim at drug testers again during an episode of his Rip Through It podcast.
“Fuck you, ASADA. Fuck you, QAFL… don’t ring his parents’ doorbell. It’s five in the morning when Craigo (Mathieson’s father) is trying to get lucky,” Robinson said.
Mathieson went viral after photos of her physical transformation circulated online.
The 27-year-old former AFL star was targeted by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
“Something I’ve never seen in my life is shooting tests in the damn local football.
“People don’t realize that you’re in the gym for two hours a day, that you’re loading up on carbs, and all you’re eating is tuna and rice.”
Mathieson went into detail about ASADA’s surprise morning visit.
“I’m confused,” he said.
‘For the whole time I’ve been playing football with all my team-mates – I was there for eight years (in Brisbane) – they always talk about (the changing rooms) turning up at your house.
‘I’ve never seen it… you never do it.
‘So at 5am the front door bell rings. I don’t live in this residence anymore, my mom and dad live there.
Mitch Robinson criticized drug testers and said they should be ashamed
Mathieson said her mother was a little scared to be woken up at 5 a.m.
“My poor mother is wondering, ‘What the hell? Why are there two guys knocking on our door at five in the morning?’ She’s a little worried, a little scared.
‘(She) sends the old man there, he’s in his underwear and he has to put on his robe.
‘He opens the door and says, ‘What do you guys want?’… It’s dark at this hour, he can barely see.
“And they said, ‘Anti-doping.’ He said, ‘No, I’m not interested.’ And he closed the door. He thought it was like an electric company trying to sell him something.
“So he went to get his coffee and 30 minutes later they were still there. He said, ‘Seriously, what do you want?’
“And that’s when they said, ‘This is anti-doping, we’re here to test Rhys Mathieson.'”
Mathieson went on to say that throughout his career he was not scrutinized and is now being persecuted because someone complained.
“I feel like the way they acted was really wrong,” she said.
“And whoever complained, can go to hell.”
