The president of the AFL’s doctor’s association has called accusations players had been encouraged to fake injuries to avoid positive match-day drug tests as “simply not true”. It comes as the AFL maintained it was “unapologetic” about club doctors taking steps to prevent players who test positive to illicit substance from playing or training after an admission weekly testing has been taking place for “some time”.
But in its response to claims made in federal parliament on Tuesday by federal MP Andrew Wilkie, a league statement didn’t address accusations doctors urged players who tested positive to fake injuries.
The shock claims caught several coaches by surprise.
A signed statement from former Melbourne doctor Zeeshan Arain claimed that the AFL conducted illicit drug tests to help players avoid being detected on game days and then advised them to fake injuries to keep coaches in the dark.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said his club would be seeking answers but both he and Essendon counterpart Brad Scott said the league’s medical policy was something the players and the league conducted.
But Dr Barry Rigby, the doctor’s association president, hit back declaring the4 AFL’s me...
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