Melbourne AFL player Joel Smith has been provisionally suspended after returning a positive anti-doping test result conducted after the penultimate home-and-away round of the competition earlier this year.
The AFL on Thursday confirmed the mandatory suspension, effective immediately, after it was notified by Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) of an adverse analytical finding and a potential violation of the Australian football anti-doping code.
Smith was tested after the Dees’ victory over Hawthorn in round 23 on 20 August and was, along with the AFL, notified by SIA last week. The sample result indicated the presence of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine.
The key forward went on to play in the Demons’ final regular season match against Sydney and their two finals series games against Collingwood and Carlton.
Smith will not be able to participate in Melbourne’s football program while SIA and the AFL further investigate the matter.
The Melbourne Football Club issued a statement to acknowledge the AFL’s notification of the adverse finding, but said it was unable to comment any further given the matter was under investigation.
“The club will continue to support Joel throughout the process and ensure our supporters are informed further when we are authorised to do so,” the statement read.
The AFL Players’ Association said in a statement it was aware that SIA had notified Smith of an adverse finding “alleging the presence of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine, which is a prohibited substance under the Australian football anti-doping code”.
The AFLPA said it was “inappropriate to speculate on details of the case or pre-empt the outcome” but that it will continue to support Smith and Melbourne during the process.
The 27-year-old, whose father, Shaun, also played for the Demons, joined the club in 2015 as a category B rookie but has since suffered a bad run of injuries that limited him to just 26 games during his first six years at the club.
