Sam Burgess speaks out after arrest in Sydney: 'Deny any suggestion'
The South Sydney Rabbitohs great has spoken out after being arrested in Sydney.
South Sydney great Sam Burgess has spoken out after being arrested for allegedly driving unlicensed under the influence of an illegal drug. NSW Police confirmed to AAP that a 34-year-old man was stopped in the Sydney suburb of Kingsford for roadside testing at about 10am on Thursday and subsequently taken to a nearby station after testing positive for an illicit substance.
The driver underwent secondary testing and was issued a notice to appear at Waverley Local Court on February 15 for driving unregistered. "Police stopped a BMW X5 on Bunnerong Road at Kingsford for the purpose of roadside testing," a police statement said.
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"Checks revealed the driver, a 34-year-old man, had a suspended licence. The man was arrested after returning a positive result on a random drug test and was taken to Maroubra Police Station. Inquiries are continuing, and police will await the result of a secondary oral fluid analysis."
Through his lawyer, Burgess told the Daily Telegraph he had not taken drugs and claimed to have obtained a urine sample that proved his innocence. He also wrote on social media: “An initial roadside drug test was taken, which showed positive to cocaine. A court date was issued for driving with a suspended licence.
“After I was released from the police station, I immediately and voluntarily went to an independent, internationally accredited testing facility and undertook a urine test. The urine sample returned a negative result to all illicit drugs.
“I deny any suggestion that I have drugs in my system. I have not consumed, obtained, or possessed any illicit drugs.
“I have made positive improvements to my life and to my driving since my full licence was returned to me following a 10-month loss of licence. I have undertaken road safety courses and since then I have not incurred any demerit points or fines. I am clean and sober from drugs, living a happy, healthy and balanced life.”
Sam Burgess' latest run-in with the law
Burgess played 182 games for the Rabbitohs between 2010 and 2019 and won the Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match in the club's drought-breaking 2014 grand final win. In March, the NRL fined Burgess $30,000 for using illicit drugs and threatening another player in 2018, and driving with traces of cocaine in his system in February 2021 while working at the Rabbitohs in an off-field role.
For the latter incident, Burgess avoided conviction but was placed on a nine-month good behaviour bond. The NRL also suspended him from official duties with South Sydney for 12 weeks and any further sanctions could impinge on his hopes of launching a professional coaching career.
This year, Burgess coached NSW North Coast bush footy side Orara Valley Axemen and was previously linked with a position on Wayne Bennett's coaching staff at the Dolphins.
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