The AFL has been rocked by bombshell claims it has facilitated secrets tests for illicit drugs, to help players avoid detection on match days.
Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie on Tuesday night told parliament he is in posession of a signed statement by a former Melbourne Football Club doctor, in which he accuses the League of helping to arrange clandestine tests at a commercial pathology clinic in Hiedleberg, in Meloburne’s north-east.
The allegation comes one day after the AFL suspended Sydney Swans AFLW players Alexia Hamilton and Paige Sheppard for two matches after they were arrested and charged by police after being caught with an illicit substance in December.
Sheppard played junior football at Bell Post Hill and for the Geelong Falcons, and Geelong VFLW, before being drafted to the Swans in 2021.
Media outlets have reported the substance was cocaine, although this has not been confirmed.
While the pair was placed on the equivalent of a good beghaviour bond, no finding was made against them by the AFL as the league’s Illicit Drugs Policy does not apply to AFLW players.
Mr Wilkie told federal parliament AFL players have been advised to “fake an injury” to avoid being tested and suspended under the World Anti-Doping Agency code.
“I rise to bring the house’s attention to deeply troubling allegations of egregious misconduct within the AFL provided by former Melbourne Football Club president Glen Bartlett, former Melbourne Football Club doctor Zeeshan Arain and Shaun Smith, father of Melbourne player and now alleged drug trafficker Joel Smith,” he said.
“The allegations include the prevalence of drug abuse and other prohibited behaviour across the AFL, off the books drug-testing of players at Dorevitch Pathology in Heidelberg, facilitated by the former chief medical officer of the AFL Peter Harcourt, the resting of players testing positive in these secret tests, ostensibly on account of injury, wilful inaction by AFL chairman Richard Goyder, and former CEO Gill McLachlan.,” Mr Wilkie told parliament.
He said the “apalling” behaviour endangers the lives, safety and future of players and officials, and subverted official testing by Sports Integrity Australia and the World Anti-Doping Authority..
He described it as “a fraud on the governments that provide millions of dollars in support to the AFL directly and indirectly through tax-breaks, grants and beneficial capital works, conditional on the AFL being a signatory to and complying with WADA code.”
“If there are no illegal drugs in the player’s system they are free to play, and if there are drugs in their system the player is often asked to fake an injury.
“They are advised to lie about a condition, while the results of the off-the-book tests are kept secret and are never shared with Sports Integrity Australia or WADA.
“In other words, hundreds of thousands of Australians will watch the game not knowing that the game has been secretly manipulated by the AFL and thousands of Australians will bet on that game not knowing the game has been secretly manipulated by the AFL.”
