David Schwarz

[Sojourner]

I heard David Schwarz on the radio talking about this issue some two years ago, I did not realise that he was still repaying all the debts at the time though. I admired him for what he had to say and find it encouraging that he has taken this on the chin and paid out every last cent of it. Hopefully he gets the chance to get back on track financially to where he should be.


The Ox' beats gambling addiction
By Sam Edmund
August 22, 2007

FORMER Melbourne star David Schwarz has revealed it was only three weeks ago he paid off the last of a $655,000 debt caused by 15 years of addictive gambling.

It was an emotional achievement for the ex-Demon, who was so consumed by gambling it threatened to damage his life beyond repair.

Schwarz, who at one stage lost $20,000 in 20 minutes playing the pokies, lost friends and a house through his addiction and retired from football in 2002 virtually penniless.

"My biggest regret is I remember more about the punt than I can my football career," he said yesterday.

"I couldn't tell you much about the games I played but I could tell you who won the 1996 Cox Plate, and that's disgraceful."

It is a lesson the Channel 7 commentator hopes the rest of the sporting world can learn the easy way through the Victorian Elite Sports Gambling Taskforce.

Schwarz has thrown his support behind the initiative, which yesterday used its inaugural meeting to urge major sporting organisations to adopt a gambling policy.

Melbourne Victory's Grant Brebner, who has admitted to a gambling problem, is also supporting the taskforce.

Schwarz and Brebner spoke passionately of the need for support networks for troubled athletes.

"I can remember arriving at the Melbourne footy club and everyone gambled, from the head coach right down to the boot studder," Schwarz said.

"I organised the footy trips and we went to Las Vegas.

"I remember one year we went to Thailand and I was spewing because there wasn't a casino, but we found the dogs and cockfights and bet on those.

"That's how desperate I was. I was out of control.

"If I won I'd be on top of the world and if I lost I'd be a recluse."

Schwarz can recall his last bet, May 3, 2005, made from his garage during son Cooper's christening. He lost $1000.

Now he puts money in Cooper's piggy bank, goes camping during the Spring Carnival and plays golf on Saturday when he's not commentating on football.

Schwarz has been sought out by sports officials to speak to their players.

Alun Jackson, director of the Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre at Melbourne University, said vulnerability and financial illiteracy were the major factors.

"You've got kids coming into sport at the highest level in a high-pressure environment," Mr Jackson said.

Officials from the AFL, NRL, Cricket Victoria, Netball Victoria and the VIS attended the seminar.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,,22 ... public_rss

[Dutchy]

good article...good reminder for those of us who have a punt to keep some perspective, good one him for paying it all back, the easy way out would have been to go bankrupt...

[Benchwarmer]

When I lived in Melbourne, I heard him come out with his story ... the most captivating stint of radio that I can remember. He didn't hold back or hide anything, he admitted stuff that shocked a lot of people (e.g. hiding and making a bet in the middle of his son's christening) but the next 45 mins-1 hour of talkback was all positive and supportive.

Virtually everyone acknowedged the fact that he had done a brave thing by admitting it so publicly with the facts laid bare by himself.

I have a strong admiration for him as a result, despite being a part of arguably the worst football commentary team in Australia along with the Melbourne leg of the 3AW/5AA/6PR call team.

[saintal]

Agreed. great article.

Things can snowball pretty quickly...