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On Thursday morning, the AFL and AFL Players Association (AFLPA) announced that the number of positive recreational drug tests increased significantly last year to 26 from just six in 2011.
There were 1,979 tests undertaken in 2012, compared with 1,489 tests in 2011. The share of tests that turned up positive increased to 1.3 per cent from 0.4 per cent.
AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said that the increase was “obviously disappointing” but remained upbeat.
“The vast majority of the AFL player population do not use illicit drugs,” Demetriou said. “So despite the increases in detections this remains a very small minority who are making poor choices.”
AFL Medical Director Dr Peter Harcourt said that cocaine was the drug of choice, with stimulants (including cocaine) accounting for 25 of the 26 positive tests.
The number of identified offenders exceeded the number of positive drug tests, with self-reported drug use yielding a “similar number to the detections” according to Dr Harcourt. Self-reporting allows players to avoid a strike under the current system.
Of the 26 failed tests in 2012, two involved players committing a second offense. A third strike results in the player being identified, fined and suspended. A total of three players are on their second offense.
AFLPA CEO Matt Finnis said that the results were disappointing and “a reminder than illicit-drug use is a problem across society”.
A number of amendments have been proposed to improve the AFLs three-strikes drug policy, including allowing players to self-report only once in their careers, allowing clubs to request target testing of specific players, increased hair testing in the off-season and better mental health training at football clubs.
“We have learnt that the players have got significant problems that we wouldn’t have identified if we didn’t have a policy,” Demetriou said. “We learned about mental health issues. We know out of these results [that] we have to do a lot more around mental health.”
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