Warning to club before Sun’s result

SUNS player Brayden Crossley’s positive drug test comes after AFL clubs were warned last year that improvements in testing had drastically increased the time period in which traces of banned substances could be detected.

The Australian Sports AntiDoping Authority is investigating after Crossley returned a positive match-day urine test to a cocaine metabolite before the May 25 NEAFL game against Sydney.

The Suns forward has denied deliberately using cocaine and intends to defend himself.

The AFL’s chief medical officer told clubs at the start of the pre-season that ASADA laboratory testing procedures had improved dramatically.

Where 48 to 72 hours was once considered sufficient time to rid the body of traces of cocaine, the memo from Dr Peter Harcourt which was sent to club doctors in November and relayed to players, warned that the drug could be detected by match-day tests up to seven days after use.

Some clubs have repeatedly reminded the players throughout the season that the tests are getting better.

The new capabilities have also raised questions from within the AFL over how a positive result from a matchday test to cocaine or cocaine metabolite could be considered performance-enhancing if the drugs were taken up to a week earlier.

Crossley, 19, has been serving a provisional ban since June 29 when he was informed of his positive test.

ASADA has the power to seize Crossley’s phones and computers and interview his friends and family.

Crossley’s father Troy suggested on Thursday that the family were able to identify where Brayden may have come into contact with the drug.

“There will be a lot more to come out,” Southport Sharks Hall of Famer Troy told the Bulletin. “(Brayden) is not responsible. We are totally confident Brayden is innocent.”

Gold Coast chief executive Mark Evans yesterday urged the footy community to spare judgment until the investigation had run its course.

“What I would encourage everybody to do is make sure they keep an open mind as to how this plays out,’’ Evans said.

“It will come out in the end and that will be the most important thing.’’

Evans also rejected questions that the latest drugs scandal to engulf the Suns made a mockery of the club’s claims of major advances in its culture.

“I think it has been five years since an incident of this type and we have some other insights that tell us we are on the right path with this.’’

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is currently in the third stage of a review which is expected to lead to a new code that would tighten the time parameters of when the use of drugs such as cocaine would be considered performance-enhancing.