AFL footballers who test positive to illicit drugs such as ice, cocaine and ecstasy would be scrutinised by a new, anti-corruption watchdog under changes proposed by a federal government commissioned
review of the integrity of our Australian sport.
The contentious recommendation, if accepted, would set the AFL and its players’ association on a collision course with the proposed National Sports Integrity Commission, a powerful investigations and regulative body intended to lead our national defence against corruption in sport.
A detailed examination of the integrity of Australian sport led by renowned corruption buster James Wood QC found that the AFL’s illicit drugs policy, which treats first-time failed drug tests as a confidential matter between footballers and AFL medicos, was a “significant missed opportunity’’ to protect sport against criminal infiltration.
The Wood report notes that the national anti-doping body, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, currently has no involvement in out-of-competition tests for illicit substances, which are conducted for the AFL by a private provider, and is not notified of first strike positive tests.
Rest behind Australian paywall FYI.