ABLETT 'FAILED STAR-STRUCK FAN'

The death of a star-struck young woman has put Australia's sporting heroes
on notice of their responsibilities to adoring fans.

A Victorian coroner issued the warning yesterday when commenting on the
role of one of the nation's greatest sporting heroes, former footballer
Gary Ablett, in the death of 20-year-old Alisha Horan.

While Mr Ablett was not found to have directly contributed to the death of
Ms Horan, an infatuated fan who died after joining the former Geelong star
in a five-day drug-and-alcohol binge, coroner Noreen Toohey said he had
failed to take seriously his responsibilities as a high-profile sportsman.

And, Ms Toohey said, had Mr Ablett not been so badly affected by alcohol
and, most likely, drugs when Ms Horan fell deeply unconscious in their Park
Hyatt hotel room in February last year, he might have been able to save her.

"This case highlights the serious risks associated with drug use and the
need for sporting celebrities, in public and private life, to be aware of
the image they portray to young people," Ms Toohey said.

"This is a clear example of a high-profile sportsman failing to take this
responsibility seriously."

Ms Toohey reiterated concerns expressed earlier by John Smallwood, QC,
counsel for Ms Horan's family, that Mr Ablett had failed to "protect their
young daughter when she was in trouble".

She found that Ms Horan, of Geelong, died as a result of a lethal
combination of heroin, ecstasy and amphetamines.

It was most likely Ms Horan had smoked or snorted the heroin in the room
after returning from a night out with Mr Ablett in which she took up to two
ecstasy tablets.

Ms Toohey cast doubt on aspects of Mr Ablett's evidence to the two-day
inquest earlier this month.

In an interview with Detective Senior Constable Tom Nairn the day after Ms
Horan died, Mr Ablett had talked of ecstasy tablets known as "green
Mitsubishis" and other white pills being in the room.

But under questioning in the witness box, Mr Ablett had no recollection of
describing the green tablets or referring to the white ones.

"Given the conflicting accounts provided by Mr Ablett in relation to the
manner in which Ms Horan obtained the tablets, the quantity of tablets
ingested ... I prefer the evidence of Detective Nairn," Ms Toohey said
yesterday.

During the inquest, Mr Ablett refused to answer questions about his friend
and alleged drug dealer, Clayton Brown, and the drugs that were found in Ms
Horan's body, on the grounds of self-incrimination.

Mr Brown and his girlfriend, Emmie Osawa, refused to make statements or
give evidence to the coroner about Ms Horan's death. It was more likely
than not that Brown had supplied the drugs that afternoon, Ms Toohey said.

Over the five days Ms Horan spent with Mr Ablett, Ms Toohey said, the young
woman had "become enmeshed in a culture of alcoholism and drug taking with
her football hero", and had been "partying out of her league".

This began, Ms Toohey said, when, on February 14, Ms Horan decided to
accompany Mr Ablett and a business acquaintance, Alan Gerrand, on a
business trip to Melbourne, which included much drinking and socialising.

On the night before she collapsed, while at the Montague Hotel in South
Melbourne, with Mr Ablett, witnesses described Ms Horan as "a bit out of
it", "rolly" and "struggling".

Mr Ablett told the inquest he had noticed Ms Horan might have been affected
by a "green Mitsubishi" ecstasy tablet she had taken while at the hotel.

Later, on their way back to the Park Hyatt, Mr Ablett said he noticed
"there seemed to be something wrong with Alisha", but did not take the
matter further because he thought she may have just been angry with him.

Ms Horan collapsed on the floor of the couple's hotel room. When Mr Ablett
woke the next morning he noticed she was breathing with difficulty but he
was unable to revive her. Paramedics were also unsuccessful and Ms Horan
was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, where she died 36 hours later.

Outside court, Detective Nairn, refused to speculate on whether Mr Brown
would be questioned further.

Contacted last night, Mr Ablett's manager, Michael Baker, said: "Gary may
be prepared to talk (in the future) but only in relation to his football,
not in relation to the Alisha Horan situation."

Copies of Ms Toohey's finding have been forwarded to bodies including the
AFL, the Geelong Football Club and the Australian Institute of Sport. Mr
Ablett was unavailable for comment yesterday, as was Ms Horan's mother,
Kathleen Horan. Alisha's father, Alan Horan, refused to comment.