AFL players accused of supplying cocaine Carly Crawford
From: Herald Sun
August 25, 2013 AFL players have been accused of supplying cocaine to one another as part of an off-season drug culture that is severely under-reported in official league data.
As the troubled 2013 home-and-away season draws to a close, the Sunday Herald Sun can reveal police are in possession of credible information that a player from an AFL club has repeatedly supplied cocaine to teammates.
It has been alleged this has happened mostly outside of the season, although the alleged supply has also taken place during competition months.
The alleged drug use occurs in private homes rather than public venues, making it harder for authorities and club officials to detect.
The allegations have been raised with police this year.
In a separate allegation made to police, another player from a different club has also been named as arranging illicit drugs for teammates, also out of season.
Victoria Police declined to comment on the allegations.
A former high-ranking official from a popular Victorian AFL club told the Sunday Herald Sun illicit drug use was more common than the league realised, and claimed it was not limited to players.
"Cocaine use is a huge problem in the AFL," he said.
Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert placed the issue of illicit drug use on the agenda last November, describing the off-field behaviour of some players as "volcanic".
"This is a serious issue with young men in the community and we'd be naive to think it didn't happen in the AFL," Pert said. The AFL held a forum on the subject in January.
The Australian Crime Commission's February report into organised crime and sport warned illicit drug use among athletes from unspecified codes was more widespread than reflected in official testing statistics.
"There is also evidence to suggest that some athletes are supplying others with illicit drugs," the report said.
AFL boss Andrew Demetriou warned clubs and players of the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs and illicit drugs after being briefed by the ACC, saying anyone doing anything illegal risked being caught.
Victoria Police deputy commissioner Graham Ashton has said illicit drug use was a bigger threat to the integrity of sport than performance-enhancing drugs.
The AFL has moved to strengthen its illicit drug testing regime after a dramatic increase in the number of positive drug tests - 26 last year, up from just six the previous.
The league has tightened the self-reporting rule, and will conduct more target testing, perform more off-season hair tests and have AFL medics give more feedback to club officials about test results.
- with Grant Baker
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-players-accused-of-supplying-cocaine/story-fnelctok-1226703462158#mm-breached
