The AFL has confirmed that West Coast forward Willie Rioli tested positive for a metabolite of cannabis, a couple of weeks after the now infamous urine test.
Rioli has been under investigation after he poured a drink into a urine sample in an official ASADA test, but this further adverse finding is unrelated to that incident.
The test occurred after the Eagles’ elimination final win over Essendon on September 5.
Cannabis counts as a performance enhancing substance and is banned under the AFL Anti-Doping code.
Read the official AFL statement below:
The AFL has confirmed that William Rioli of the West Coast Eagles has been notified of a further Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) and a potential violation of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (Code) in respect of a test conducted by ASADA on September 5, 2019.
The test was conducted following the West Coast Eagles’ elimination final against Essendon.
The September 5, 2019 sample has tested positive for a metabolite of cannabis, which is an In-Competition Prohibited Substance under the Code.
On September 11, 2019 Rioli was notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding for Urine Substitution being a Prohibited Method under the Code following an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 20 August 2019.
The West Coast Eagles have been made aware of this finding and will continue to provide support for Rioli.
It is important that Rioli be provided a fair process. As a result, the AFL will not be providing further detail on this case at this time.
West Coast has also commented on the situation, releasing the following statement:
The West Coast Eagles have recently been made aware that a sample taken from Willie Rioli has tested positive for a metabolite of cannabis.
As stipulated two weeks ago, the club’s primary concern remains the health and wellbeing of Willie. We will continue to support him through this particularly challenging time to assist him while this ongoing investigation runs its course.
The club will respect the process of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding this case and will co-operate fully with it.
We expect that these processes will take some months to complete and the club will not be in a position to make further comment until such completion.