Australian Football League To Hair-Test Players For Drug Use After Offseason Holidays

As many as 28 players on every Australian Football League club list "could be hair-tested for drug use this off-season after changes to the league’s illicit drug code," according to Jon Ralph of the HERALD SUN. The league has told clubs that 18 players from every club "will be hair-tested" -- up from 12 last year-- with clubs "able to pay for testing of 10 more players." That extra hair-testing would cost A$200 ($187) for each test. Hair-testing comes after players "return from off-season holidays, and can establish drug use dating back three months." Positive hair-tests "do not result in a drug strike but see players target-tested in the subsequent season." Those players "are also subjected to an increased level of counselling with AFL medical officials." It comes as it was confirmed the AFL "has already alerted many clubs about their specific drugs profile after changes to the illicit drugs policy" (HERALD SUN, 9/12).