Three strikes stay after drugs summit

Summit ... Matt Finnis, Gary Pert, Andrew Demetriou and Peter Harcourt talk drugs. Source: Joe Castro / AAP

The AFL will close a self-reporting loophole but has backed its three-strikes policy after Wednesday's drugs summit.

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AFL bosses, club CEOs, the AFL Players Association, police and medical experts met today for nine hours to review the league's controversial illegal drugs policy.

The summit was prompted by Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert speaking out at a CEOs conference late last year over his concerns about the rising use of illegal drugs by players.

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A working party will be formed to review the drugs policy each year, starting when the results of drug tests in 2012 are released.

Those numbers are not yet known but Demetriou has warned there will be a "spike" in positive tests.

The working party's first recommendation will be to close the loophole that allows players to avoid a strike against their name by dobbing themselves in.

Although one club is believed to have had 10 incidents of six players self-reporting last year, Demetriou said exploitation of the loophole wasn't rampant.

However, he conceded it had the potential to be exploited.

"Everybody acknowledged, including the players, that if there is an area of self-notification that can be closed then we will (do that)," Demetriou said.

"The general concensus is we can tighten up, that has got potential to be exploited.

"I'm pretty certain what I heard today about the self-notification that it's something we can improve pretty quickly."

But Demetriou said there was overall support for the three-strikes policy - under which positive drug tests are not made public until a player tests positive for a third time.

"We have got external experts reinforcing to us, including Victoria Police and Federal Police, what an outstanding illicit drugs policy we have," Demetriou said.

"It's not without its flaws.

"We have opened ourselves up to other improvements."

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The working party will consist of three club representatives - Pert, Essendon CEO Ian Robson and Gold Coast president Travis Auld, plus a club doctor, the AFLPA and external experts

Demetriou said other key findings included a commitment to provide clubs with more information.

Pert suggested he would push for clubs to be better informed to help players with drug issues - under the current policy only the club doctor is informed after a second positive test. But AFLPA boss Matt Finnis was adamant players would not budge on the issue of confidentiality.

"The players remain committed to the policy because they feel ownership of the policy. And the players remain committed to the policy and the key pillars of the policy that we believe are integral to its success and that is the welfare of the players and confidentiality," Finnis said.

"We believe the policy successful in helping players who make bad decisions alter their behaviour."

Pert said clubs were now much better informed about the drug culture that affected their players.

"We don't know the exact numbers (of how many players are using drugs) but every CEO is concerned about what's happening now and what potentially can happen in the future," he said.

"We had presentations today about young people in that 18-21 year age bracket, taking illicit drugs is just a big part of their lives and obviously our players fall into that demographic and a lot of their friends outside the club lead that sort of lifestyle."

After the summit the AFL medical officers association released a statement supporting the three-strikes policy.

"The use of illicit drugs is primarily a health and social issue and is best managed through a medical model based on counselling, education and treatment of the underlying mental health and addiction problems," executive officer Dr Hugh Seward said.

"The current code provides an appropriate balance between this medical model and a the more punitive approach after a third offence.

"Illicit drug use is a major social issue amongst young members of our society and AFL footballers encounter these problems on a regular basis.

"The AFL Players Association accept that the players will submit to this testing, which is rare in the sporting world (as distinct from the performance enhancing drug code that all sports are subject to through WADA). In doing this they acknowledge that AFL footballers are leaders amongst their peer groups and can set an example against illicit drug use."

Dr Seward said doctors also supported strong moves to better manage alcohol use by players.

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