- Two AFLW players were reportedly caught with cocaine
- The incident is said to have occurred at the end of last year
- Footy has been embroiled in a handful of drug scandals
Two AFLW players have reportedly been caught with cocaine this off-season in a major development for the game.
According to 9News Melbourne, two unnamed stars from the Sydney Swans women’s team were charged by police late last year in the off-season.
The pair received parole orders, similar to good behavior bonds in Victoria, with the AFL revealing it was aware of the incident.
When contacted by Nine, the Swans declined to comment, but key officials had reportedly been aware of the matter for months.
The latest story once again highlights Footy’s relationship with drugs, with Melbourne Demons star Joel Smith facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after a failed test.
Two female football stars were caught with cocaine at the end of last year
Unlike the two unnamed AFLW players, Smith would not have passed the test in the competition, meaning if found guilty he would face a harsher sentence.
Smith has been provisionally suspended since October, when he was informed of a positive cocaine test following the Demons’ win over Hawthorn on August 20.
Last month, the AFL confirmed that Sports Integrity Australia (SIA) had charged Smith with three anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code for allegedly ‘trafficking or attempting to traffic’ cocaine to third parties.
According to the code, human trafficking is defined as “the sale, giving, transportation, shipping, delivery or distribution of a controlled substance by an athlete… to a third party.”
After checking Smith’s phone, officials reportedly discovered multiple text messages sent by the player that referenced cocaine, News Corp. reported.
In a message he allegedly sent to Demon teammates last year, Smith allegedly offered a quantity of the drug in question.
It has not been confirmed how much cocaine was offered or how many teammates the text message was sent to.
Smith was also served with another ADRV for possession of cocaine on September 9, 2022.
The unnamed pair have entered into good conduct bonds and the AFL is aware of the incident
He was already facing a ban of up to four years under the AFL’s Anti-Doping Code for his positive cocaine test.
It is unclear how much the additional costs could add to any suspension, or when that would be determined.
Smith remains provisionally suspended and cannot train or play with his teammates, and the AFL confirmed under the code that the new alleged offenses will be further investigated by SIA.
The 27-year-old’s case could be heard at the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal in the coming months.
More to follow.
