West Coast Eagles AFL star Willie Rioli tests positive for cannabis
West Coast Eagles AFL star Willie Rioli has tested positive for cannabis.
The small forward was tested after the Eagles’ elimination final against Essendon on September 5 and the results were announced today.
Cannabis is prohibited and could land Rioli with a four-year ban.
It comes after the star failed a previous drug test on August 20, the results of which were announced last week.
Willie Rioli has been stood down by the AFL after he allegedly failed a drug test last month
Last Thursday he was stood down by the AFL after an ‘adverse finding’ was allegedly found in the August test.
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) alleged Rioli, 24, used a prohibited method to provide a sample for the test.
There were reports Rioli ‘panicked’ and allegedly poured an energy drink into a drug-test beaker but got caught by ASADA officers.
‘He tried to manipulate his sample on-site and got caught red-handed,’ a source told The Herald Sun.
AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon earlier said the adverse analytical finding was a urine substitution.
Rioli won’t be allowed to compete in AFL competitions or any WADA-compliance sport, including the WAFL while indefinitely suspended.
But he will be able to train prior to final determination of the asserted code violation.
ASADA has alleged the West Coast Eagles star swapped a urine sample on August 20
Rioli was one of the stars for the West Coast Eagles when they won the 2018 AFL grand final
‘The club is extremely disappointed that one of our players has been provisionally suspended while a matter is being investigated and it will comply fully and openly with ASADA and the AFL through the process,’ an Eagles statement read.
‘The club is fully committed to supporting Willie during what is a personally distressing time.
‘Our primary concern is Willie’s health and welfare.
‘As this is an ongoing investigation the club, its staff and players can make no further comment until the investigation is completed.
‘The West Coast Eagles fully supports the AFL and ASADA in its ideal of our game being drug free.’
Rioli won’t be allowed to compete in AFL competitions while indefinitely suspended
If found guilty, Rioli faces a ban of up to four years.
Former Australian Sports Anti Doping Authority chief executive Richard Ings described it as ‘a most serious allegation’.
Born on Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory, Rioli has playing 38 games for the Eagles since making his AFL debut in round two of the 2018 season.
The nephew of former Richmond Tigers player Maurice Rioli, Willie is the cousin of former AFL stars Dean Rioli (Essendon) and Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn).
Another cousin Daniel currently plays for Richmond.