Collingwood drugs scandal: Up to 11 players test positive for illicit substancesMark Robinson
Herald Sun
March 25, 2016 A QUARTER of Collingwood’s playing list recorded positive tests to illicit drugs over summer.
The bombshell is evidence that the AFL and its 18 clubs are losing the fight against their use.
The Herald Sun yesterday confirmed that up to 11 Magpies had tested positive to drugs over the off-season, despite two teammates — Josh Thomas and Lachie Keeffe — last year being rubbed out for two seasons after being caught with illicit substances in their systems.
But the Pies, who will face Sydney on Sunday night, are not the only club with alarming hair-test results.
Industry sources say at least two other clubs recorded worse drug-test results than Collingwood, while several other clubs’ results were said to be close to those of the Magpies.
The AFL, Collingwood and the other clubs could not discuss the revelation last night because of a confidentiality agreement struck between the AFL and the players.
But sources have said several clubs have been shocked by the amount of positive results among their players, despite strong warnings to them before they departed for holidays.
The Herald Sun has learnt that three positive tests, recorded by one club, was considered very low by the AFL and celebrated as a successful intervention.
The Magpies believe the drug code must change because the players’ behaviour isn’t being altered by the current policy.
The club is in favour of a suspension after a single positive strike.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire was first made aware of the positive tests by the Herald Sun.
Three positive tests, which was recorded by one club, was considered very low by the AFL and celebrated as a successful intervention.
He said it could become the big issue for the first half of the season.
“We don’t get any information, we’re speaking to the AFL about the hair-testing in the next couple of weeks, but until the clubs have some control over it there’s no point talking to the clubs. It’s an AFL and AFL Players Association matter,” he told Fox Footy.
McGuire went on to stress that drug use was a widespread issue, calling it a “pandemic in society”.
He said Collingwood would have to make a decision about the future of hair-testing and the consequences for players who tested positive during the off-season.
“We have to decide what we’re going to do. Do you even have these tests ... do we even bother if we’re not going to do anything about them?
“Or do we say, ‘This is what we demand of our players’?” he said.
Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert has previously warned that some players were guilty of “volcanic behaviour” during the off-season.
Two weeks ago he reiterated his concerns about drug use.
“I still believe is the biggest issue in the AFL,” Pert said.
Changes to the drugs code were made last year after Thomas and Keeffe were suspended.
The Herald Sun had revealed Collingwood and other clubs were exploiting a loophole in the illicit drugs code by “self-reporting” the use of drugs to avoid a strike.
Changes to the code saw the three-strike policy move to a two-strike policy this season, which will see players publicly named, fined and suspended if they test positive to an illegal substance a second time.
Sources said there was at least two other clubs with higher readings than Collingwood and several clubs in the vicinity of Magpies’ results.
Pert said the new policy should be reviewed even further as part of the discussions surrounding the new collective bargaining agreement, which was supported by outgoing Gold Coast chairman John Witheriff.
“I know there are some people in the industry — and I must admit that I have got some pretty strong views on it, if we move to a model that is designed to stop the behaviour rather than just a medical model,” Pert said.
The hair-testing was a voluntary process by the players and the results do not count for a strike.
It is, however, the true reflection of drug use among players.
Illicit drug use in the AFL have made headlines in recent years.
Former Gold Coast players Harley Bennell and Karmichael Hunt were also linked to illicit drug use last year.
Keeffe and Thomas received their suspensions after a banned performance-enhancing substance was detected in their system, believed to have been ‘cut” into an illicit drug they had consumed.
Bennell, who was traded by the Suns to Fremantle, received an automatic strike after photographs of him with drugs in a Tasmanian hotel room were published on the Herald Sun front page in July.
Hunt pleaded guilty to charges of cocaine possession last year.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/collingwood/collingwood-drugs-scandal-up-to-11-players-test-positive-for-illicit-substances/news-story/bb4244f6e817e34db27c96a7b44dfc7fps. A reminder to not post, guess or allude to any names of players.
