AFL braces for increase in positive tests under ‘stronger’ new illicit drugs policy
The AFL is preparing for an increase in players testing positive to drugs such as cocaine and MDMA due to more effective testing under a new illicit substances policy, even if the public will never find out.The players union is adamant, however, the “revised” approach will reduce harm, despite the risk of some being exposed to innuendo when they are pulled from matches under a general explanation of “unavailable”.The policy has been in negotiation for two years, and follows explosive comments made in federal parliament in 2024 by independent MP Andrew Wilkie, citing information from former Melbourne doctor Zeeshan Arain, alleging there had been “wilful inaction” by the AFL to address a “prevalence of drug abuse” in the sport.Sport Integrity Australia subsequently found “no irreconcilable inconsistencies” between the AFL’s illicit drugs policy and the National Anti-Doping Scheme.However, there remains wide concern over the level of drug use in the AFL, highlighted by illicit drugs scandals and bans to players including Bailey Smith in recent years.
AFL chief executive, Andrew Dillon, said the sport was a reflection of broader society.“There’s a reality that illicit drug use is not an issue unique to sport or our game, it’s a broader societal challenge and our players are not immune from the issues and pressures that it exist in the community,” he said.“So what this revised policy does is bring together stronger education, stronger deterrence, stronger accountability and stronger support.”Every men’s and women’s player will now be tested twice per year under a policy that will also apply to the AFLW for the first time.The fresh approach will test hair rather than urine, a change which is expected to detect drug use up to three months before the test, compared to only a few days previously.
James Gallagher, chief executive of the AFL Players’ Association, said the updated policy – under its first revision since 2016 – maintains a focus on “reducing substance abuse and drug-related harms for players”, following a review by alcohol and drug consultancy 360Edge.“The key outcome of that review was that it recommended a harm reduction approach with an emphasis on health and well-being under a revised policy, and pleasingly, that’s exactly where it landed,” he said.Players who initially test positive will discuss the test only with the club doctor and psychologist, who will work with the player on a “behaviour change program”.Subsequent positive tests will trigger more onerous obligations on players to address their drug use, including potentially meeting costs of treatment.When attempts to work with a player have failed, they may be prevented from playing by independent experts appointed jointly by the AFL and AFLPA.
That player would be listed as “unavailable” in a club’s pre-match injury report.The public will be kept in the dark, as will others in the club, apart from the general manager of football, chief executive and president.Clubs will be fined $250,000 if this confidentiality is breached.Dillon rejected the notion that labelling a player simply as “unavailable” would increase speculation that players were not playing due to their drug use.“We’ve had a policy in place for 20-plus years, that hasn’t occurred previously and I think under this policy again – the most comprehensive in Australian sport – I think that we’ve got a process that will work well,” he said.
Darcy Moore, Collingwood defender and AFLPA president, urged focusing on what the policy can do for players, rather than what happens when a player might ultimately be withdrawn from playing.“That comes at the end of what is quite a comprehensive and well resourced best practice policy to manage players who have tested positive with a hair test,” he said.“By that stage, we understand that in reality, clubs have been involved in helping to administer this program, so it is literally designed to avoid that situation.”Laura Kane, the AFL’s executive general manager of football operations, said the new approach would cost more than the previous one but it will be fully funded by the AFL.The AFL confirmed players who are barred from playing under the policy will still be paid by their clubs.
Next says Middle East conflict could raise clothing prices by up to 10%
The boss of Next has said clothing prices could rise by 4% to 10% if conflict in the Middle East extends into the autumn and factories are hit by higher fuel and fabric costs.Simon Wolfson said the clothing and home retailer had so far seen little disruption to its supply chain.While container ships are being delayed by up to two weeks as they travel slowly to save fuel, he said the company already held enough spare stock to prevent gaps on shelves.He said these costs could amount to £15m if the conflict lasts three months and prices could begin to rise by about 1% from June or July if disruption dragged on until then.Lord Wolfson added that Next was offsetting additional costs on fuel and air freight with savings elsewhere and it did not expect any effect on profits for the year ahead
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Google warns quantum computers could hack encrypted systems by 2029
Banks, governments and technology providers need to be prepared for quantum computer hackers capable of breaking most existing encryption systems by 2029, Google has warned.The tech company said in a blogpost that quantum computers would pose a “significant threat to current cryptographic standards” before the end of the decade and urged other companies to follow its lead.The company, owned by Alphabet, said: “The encryption currently used to keep your information confidential and secure could easily be broken by a large-scale quantum computer in coming years.”As it stands, quantum computers – which can rapidly carry out complex tasks – are a nascent technology with great potential and significant obstacles to being widely usable.Google, Microsoft and universities across the UK and the US are in the midst of building systems that harness the physics of quantum mechanics to perform extremely sophisticated mathematical calculations
Starmer vows to tackle social media’s ‘addictive features’ to protect children
Keir Starmer has said he will tackle “addictive features” in social media amid increasing signs the UK government is preparing to crack down on risks to children after a US court verdict that held Meta and YouTube responsible for harms caused by designing addictive technology.The prime minister said the verdict in a California court signalled a rising public expectation for more aggressive regulation and said: “I’m absolutely clear that we need to go further.”“The status quo isn’t good enough,” he said. “We need to do more to protect children. That’s why we’re consulting about issues such as banning social media for under-16s
Prem Rugby introduce minimum salary floor of £5.4m for clubs next season
Prem Rugby will introduce a minimum salary floor of £5.4m for each club next season as part of a long-term plan to increase competitiveness. The Rugby Football Union Council voted last month to ringfence the existing 10-team Prem until the 2029-30 season, when it is hoped two clubs will be added provided they meet minimum financial and sporting standards.Explaining the Prem’s growth plans in detail for the first time, its chief executive, Simon Massie-Taylor, revealed they are aiming to open expansion windows every four years, when up to two clubs could join. The first tender process will take place during 2027 and the most impressive applicants could be invited to join Champ Rugby the following season, with a view to moving up to the Prem in 2028-29 as long as they reach the playoffs in the second tier
Tom Brady, 48, says he explored return to NFL but league ‘don’t like that idea very much’
Tom Brady says he explored the idea of making a return to the NFL as a player but the league “don’t like that idea very much”.Brady’s last NFL game came in a defeat to the Dallas Cowboys in January 2023. Since then he has become a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders as well as a television analyst for Fox. A spokesperson for the league said that Brady, who turns 49 in August, would need to divest his stake in the Raiders if he was to return to playing.“I actually have inquired [about a return to playing], and [the NFL] don’t like that idea very much,” Brady told CNBC Sport this week
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