ANTHONY MUNDINE, the man who helped Ben Cousins publicly address his drug problems, has slammed the AFL for the draconian conditions placed on the former West Coast Eagles captain's return to the game.

It is estimated the thrice-weekly drug testing of Cousins that is one of the conditions under which he can play in the AFL next year will cost about $100,000. It's also estimated this will require the 2005 Brownlow medallist to provide the equivalent of a bathtub of urine over the season.

But Mundine says that is a waste of money and unfair on Cousins, who helped him promote the WBA's annual KO to Drugs bout in Sydney earlier this year.

Instead, Mundine says, the AFL would be better served by donating the money to the drugs and alcohol rehabilitation clinic at St Vincents Hospital run by Dr Alex Wodak.

"If they want to spend $100,000 why don't they go and give it to Dr Wodak to help people get off drugs rather than hounding Ben Cousins for the sake of publicity?" Mundine told The Sun-Herald.

"I think it's appalling the conditions they have put on him and the regime of testing he has to go through. It's over the top. I know he's messed up but a lot of players have messed up. Why are they trying to use him as some sort of guinea pig in front of the whole nation?"

Mundine even wondered whether the AFL wanted Cousins to fail.

"I think they do," he said. "I'm not saying everybody, but certain elements do want him to fail, I have no doubt. But there are also a lot of people out there who want him to succeed. For what he has overcome to get to where he is today, he deserves the utmost respect because he had his flaws and he's corrected them. He's come from the darkness to the light and basically from the gutter as far as what he's been through, and now he's back fulfilling his desires and dreams as far as being an athlete."

The former NRL star said he had not spoken to Cousins since AFL boss Andrew Demetriou announced at a press conference on Tuesday the conditions - including hair sample testing up to four times a year - under which he would be re-registered after a 12-month ban. But the pair have exchanged text messages.

Mundine was concerned the stringent testing procedures could have a negative effect on Cousins.

"I don't know but the pressures of just being tested and constantly being hounded could be a weight on him," Mundine said. "Mentally, that sort of thing can weigh on you.

"He should just be treated like every other player. If they want to test him three times a week, why don't they do that to every other player?

"Why don't they do it for every player in the league, every rookie that comes through, every player that gets drafted … even the coaches and the chief executives? Maybe the officials that make these decisions should have their own drug tests and breath tests because the only difference between alcohol and cocaine is that one's legal. They both alter you.

"Mr Demetriou has got to understand how many people in this community and society can say they have never touched drugs.

"It just seems like Ben is paying the ultimate price."