TonyK
Tash Jayasinghe
CibbuanoDrug use on the decline: Demetriou
August 28th 2008 08:15
The AFL says illicit drug use among its players is on the decline despite releasing statistics that show the number of players that tested positive to drugs last season rose.
The league revealed that 11 players tested positive to illicit drugs in 2007 - including three players that tested positive on two occasions.
This compared to just nine players that tested positive on one occasion each in 2006.
Of the 14 positive tests - four were for marijuana and ten were for stimulants while the league also revealed that two of the three players that had twice been caught for testing positive to illicit drugs were also being treated for mental illness - believed to be depression.
Despite the increase AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou dismissed suggestions that drug use amongst the players was on the rise, saying the increase in the number of positive tests was due to the league tripling its number of drug tests for the year from 486 to 1152.
"If you triple the sample size and the percentage (of positive drug tests) goes down then the trend (of drug use) is going down," he said.
Meanwhile, the AFL said it would continue with its three strikes policy next season while a player will now lose a strike if he has remained drug free for four years, even if he already has two strikes.
A player will be suspended for up to 18 weeks for a third offence instead of the previous 12 while every player will now be tested at least once a year
The league will also increase the number of tests it performs each season to 1500 and for the first time introduce hair testing during the off-season.
Any player that records a positive test through hair testing will receive the same counselling that goes to other players that record a positive drugs test but that player will not receive an official strike.
Despite the major changes Demetriou couldn't guarantee that a player won't develop a drug addiction despite never testing positive to an AFL drugs test.
"No testing regime is perfect and there may be a player who still slips through the net," he said.
The league revealed that 11 players tested positive to illicit drugs in 2007 - including three players that tested positive on two occasions.
This compared to just nine players that tested positive on one occasion each in 2006.
Of the 14 positive tests - four were for marijuana and ten were for stimulants while the league also revealed that two of the three players that had twice been caught for testing positive to illicit drugs were also being treated for mental illness - believed to be depression.
Despite the increase AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou dismissed suggestions that drug use amongst the players was on the rise, saying the increase in the number of positive tests was due to the league tripling its number of drug tests for the year from 486 to 1152.
"If you triple the sample size and the percentage (of positive drug tests) goes down then the trend (of drug use) is going down," he said.
Meanwhile, the AFL said it would continue with its three strikes policy next season while a player will now lose a strike if he has remained drug free for four years, even if he already has two strikes.
A player will be suspended for up to 18 weeks for a third offence instead of the previous 12 while every player will now be tested at least once a year
The league will also increase the number of tests it performs each season to 1500 and for the first time introduce hair testing during the off-season.
Any player that records a positive test through hair testing will receive the same counselling that goes to other players that record a positive drugs test but that player will not receive an official strike.
Despite the major changes Demetriou couldn't guarantee that a player won't develop a drug addiction despite never testing positive to an AFL drugs test.
"No testing regime is perfect and there may be a player who still slips through the net," he said.
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