Welcome, Benny Cousins
Sam Edmund | January 06, 2009
DRUG testers have made Ben Cousins a target hours into his first training session of the year.
Cousins, 30, who yesterday returned for Richmond pre-season training with his teammates after a two-week break, was immediately identified by drug officials.
Testers from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) arrived at Punt Rd about 10.30am.
They could be seen picking out players from the boundary line before Cousins left the field.
The AFL Commission last year ordered Cousins to have up to three urine tests a week as well as up to four hair tests a year.
For the hair tests, Cousins must commit to being able to provide hair at least 3cm long, unlike late last year when his shaved head and waxed body meant he could not be tested.
Hair testers have been to Richmond at least twice in the pre-season.
But the rigorous testing regimen deals only with illicit drugs and not performance-enhancing substances.
ASADA is the AFL's performance-enhancing drug tester.
If required, Cousins would have provided a urine sample, which is taken to a lab in Sydney before a result is known in the coming days.
The AFL employs Dorevitch Pathology to conduct tests for illicit drugs.
Cousins will be tested at the football club or during his weekly visits to doctors. He will not be tested outside of those times.
Richmond football operations manager Ross Monaghan said Cousins and the club had no idea when testers would appear at Punt Rd.
"He'll undergo the same testing procedure as all the other players - it's totally random," Monaghan said.
"We don't know when they're going to arrive. We won't have any warnings and there's no set schedule. It will be just whenever they send people out."
Richmond media manager Jude Donnelly said: "Richmond and Ben will adhere to the testing policy as outlined by the AFL commission."
A chiselled Cousins looked strong yesterday as he continues to build towards his long-awaited comeback.
In what looms as a difficult season for the 2005 Brownlow medallist and a landmark year for the AFL, Cousins faces immediate suspension if he fails a drugs test, is not available or refuses a drugs test.
He must co-operate with AFL medical officers and attend any drug rehabilitation program or medical expert nominated by them.
Cousins has never tested positive to an illegal substance.
He was suspended for 12 months by the AFL Commission in November 2007 after being found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute.
Under the AFL's illicit drugs policy, a player who receives a third positive test will be named and banned for up to 12 weeks. A fourth positive test would mean a season ban
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24877324-19742,00.html
