AFL defends drug policy
Goodwin wants answers over MP’s claim
The AFL remains “unapologetic” about club doctors taking steps to prevent players who test positive to illicit substance from playing or training after an admission weekly testing has been taking place for “some time”.
But in its response to claims made in federal parliament on Tuesday by federal MP Andrew Wilkie, a league statement did not address accusations doctors urged players who tested positive to fake injuries.
The shock claims caught several coaches by surprise.
A signed statement from former Melbourne doctor Zeeshan Arain claimed that the
AFL conducted illicit drug tests to help players avoid being detected on game days and then advised them to fake injuries to keep coaches in the dark.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said his club would be seeking answers, but both he and Essendon counterpart Brad Scott said the league’s medical policy was something the players and the league conducted.
In a statement on Wednesday, the AFL confirmed it conducted its own testing outside of that done by Sport Integrity
Australia as part of a drug policy that “specifically deals with the use of illicit substances out of competition and is focused on player health and wellbeing”.
The league supported the model that prevented players from playing or training “knowing they have recently taken an illicit substance” despite that knowledge being kept from club officials other than doctors.
“The policy seeks to reduce substance use and drug-related harms for AFL players and aims to inform and rehabilitate players through education and intervention,” the statement said.
“It exists alongside and in addition to the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code which covers prohibited substances including some illicit substances in competition as prescribed by the WADA prohibited list.
“Urine tests conducted by doctors to determine if a player has used illicit substances are part of the AFL’s illicit drug policy medical model and have been for some time. Doctors may use those urine tests to obtain an immediate result to determine whether any illicit substance remains in a player’s system. This is normally conducted at the club or in the doctor’s consulting rooms.
“If the test shows a substance is still in the player’s system, a doctor will take steps to prevent a player from taking part in either training and/or an AFL match both for their own health and welfare and because having illicit substances in your system on match day may be deemed performance enhancing and a breach of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (depending on the substance involved).
“It is absolutely imperative that no doctor or club official should ever allow or encourage a player to take the field knowing they have recently taken an illicit substance that may be harmful to their health and/or may be deemed performanceenhancing (as many illicit substances are on match day).”
Reacting on Wednesday, Goodwin said: “Every club would want answers and how the policy works and is it a success? We will be asking the appropriate questions.”