The unique sporting career of three-code football star Karmichael Hunt is in jeopardy after the Australian rugby international was charged with drug possession.
Hunt, the former NRL and AFL player who debuted for the Wallabies this year, was arrested in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley after police searched him and allegedly located a white powder about 12.40am on Saturday.
The Queensland Reds representative has been charged with two counts of drug possession and will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on January 29.
Hunt’s lawyer Adam Maggill confirmed to AAP the 31-year-old had been charged, saying his client was very upset with the situation.
It’s not the first time Hunt has been in trouble, having pleaded guilty in a Gold Coast court to four counts of drug possession in 2015.
He was charged after being caught up in the same Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission investigation into a cocaine trafficking syndicate in the state’s southeast that resulted in several Gold Coast Titans NRL players also being charged.
Hunt was fined $2500 and later admitted he had made a “terrible mistake” before apologising to his family and friends.
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) imposed their own penalty, fining Hunt $30,000 and suspending him for six weeks.
Since that controversy, Hunt has established himself at the Reds and made his first Australian international rugby appearance against Fiji in June
He made six appearances for the Wallabies in 2017 and was rewarded with a two-year contract extension in November with an eye on playing in the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
The ARU said in a statement it was aware of the incident.
“Rugby Australia takes all matters relating to the off-field behaviour of its players seriously and has commenced an investigation into the incident in conjunction with the Queensland Rugby Union,” the statement read.
Hunt’s career will almost certainly hinge on the outcome of the investigation.
A 32-year-old man who was with Hunt at the time has also been issued with a notice to appear.
The other man has been charged with possession of an item used in regards to a drug offence, understood to be a mobile phone.
Originally published as Rugby star Hunt facing new drug charges