AFLPA sets the record straight

10 Mar 2006 - Jason Murnane

The AFLPA has supported the increase in testing for use of both performance enhancing and illicit drugs amongst AFL players. 

The fact that more players may have recorded a positive test result to illicit drugs following significantly increased testing does not indicate that there has been increased use of illicit drugs amongst players.

Rather, the results are consistent with the increase in number of tests carried out and the more targeted approach taken to when testing occurs.

According to AFLPA Chief Executive Officer Brendon Gale, the AFL and AFLPA have taken a progressive stance in response to a serious community issue. 

"Statistics indicate that Australians aged 20 - 29 years are more likely than other age groups to use illicit drugs, with approximately 30% of all 20 to 29 year olds reporting having at least experimented with illicit drugs over the past 12 months," said Gale.

"Results gleaned from several years of testing AFL players indicate that illicit drug use amongst AFL players is significantly less than use amongst the broader society on a range of measures.  That said, we remain vigilant on this issue and are conscious of the expectations on players to set high standards of behaviour and contribute to minimising illicit drug use within the community."

The AFLPA also today expressed concern at media comments attributed to the Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA), the body contracted by the AFL to conduct drug testing.

"The AFLPA is concerned that the authority contracted by the AFL to test players for illicit drugs outside of game day has made public comments about the manner in which results of those tests are used."

"We're talking about very sensitive information which has nothing to do with drug-cheating and would not even be secured if it weren't for AFL players agreeing to a regime of drug testing which goes further than any other Australian sport."

The AFLPA will not be making any further comment in relation to this matter.

However we do note ASDA's clarification this afternoon that it is supportive of the AFL industry approach to illicit drugs and it's acknowledgment that our approach goes further than any requirements established by the WADA Code.