Drugs in sport
Five horses from five stables tested positive to a breast cancer drug. No one knows why
The mystery of how traces of a breast cancer drug appeared in urine samples taken from five different thoroughbreds, trained by five different stables and racing at five different tracks, might never be solved.
- by Danny Russell
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Opinion
NRL 2024
Football codes need to just say no … to beer
When you look at damage done by drugs to footballers, does cocaine even begin to compare to the damage done by alcohol?
- by Peter FitzSimons
Opinion
For subscribers
AFL and drugs: Beware the crackdown that becomes a crack-up
The AFL must be careful not to throw out the welfare baby with the tough-on-drugs bathwater.
- by Greg Baum
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He blew the whistle on the AFL drugs scandal. Here is what Melbourne’s ex-club doctor wants to change
Zeeshan Arain says he documented a disturbingly high prevalence of illicit drug use among players at the Melbourne Football Club and wanted to expose a cultural problem, not blow up the league’s drugs policy.
- by Chip Le Grand
Opinion
Drugs
Drugs aren’t just for tradies and ravers. Middle-aged, middle-class women do them too
All drugs can destroy lives, finances, relationships. But in the spirit of openness, let’s not lie. They’re fun, and therein lies the rub.
- by Kate Halfpenny
AFL chief tells clubs what the new drugs policy will be
AFL boss Andrew Dillon has told a briefing of all 18 clubs that the league will continue with a health-based illicit drugs policy. In practice, this would mean no sanction on the first offence.
- by Jake Niall, Andrew Wu and Chris Barrett
Opinion
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Oliver’s training injury laid bare the issue with AFL’s drug policy
When it is accepted publicly that clubs lie about injuries to cover for players who are taking drugs, or with drugs in their system, pulling out of games casts doubt on players with legitimate injuries or non-drug related personal issues.
- by Michael Gleeson
Updated
Andrew Wilkie
Drug agency to check on the AFL’s testing of its players
Sport Integrity Australia says it will assess allegations around controversial illicit drug tests in the AFL as the league admits it empowers doctors to remove players from matches if they are at risk of testing positive on match day.
- by Peter Ryan and Michael Gleeson
Analysis
AFL 2024
What actually happens to an AFL player with a drug issue and why
The AFL has a major brand protection imperative. It does not want to look soft on players using drugs. There’s a pressure to be narcotically correct from governments and sponsors.
- by Jake Niall
‘I’ve never seen that’: Swans deny any knowledge of AFL drugs cover-up
Coach John Longmire and chief executive Tom Harley – both former AFL players – have been quick to distance themselves from explosive claims made by federal MP Andrew Wilkie.
- by Malcolm Conn
‘Someone will die’: Perkins warns of potential athlete deaths at Enhanced Games
The swimming great says performance-enhancing substances could have fatal consequences for athletes and the idea of an event that celebrates their use is “borderline criminal”.
- by Melissa Woods