The AFL has fired a shot across the bows at players as Lachie Cowan's two-game ban for illicit drug use was confirmed.
In its media release on Friday about the Carlton defender, the league made a point of noting that all players will be hair tested in January and that readings could go back as far as six months.
The last couple of lines of the release represented a sting in the tail. It means a player who has taken party drugs in this post-season break could already be in trouble under the league's revised illicit drugs code.
"The AFL’s new illicit drugs policy will come into effect in January 2027 after education sessions with every club and player across November and December," the league said in the media release.
"All players will be hair tested upon their return to training in January, with readings going as far back as three to six months prior."
Ben Cousins, whose AFL career was wrecked by drug use, has admitted shaving his head and body at one stage to beat hair testing.
Cowan was hospitalised on Sunday morning after taking an illicit substance.
Ambulance Victoria confirmed that advanced life support paramedics responded to an incident at inner-suburban South Yarra at 5.15am last Sunday, with a man in his 20s taken by ambulance to The Alfred Hospital in a stable condition.
That man was Cowan and he was discharged on Sunday after medical treatment and observation.
Teammate Will Hayward was with Cowan on Saturday night and he took himself to hospital on Sunday in a separate incident. He needed stitches after a cut to his head following a fall.
Hayward was also investigated after news broke of the Carlton players' hospital visits, but the AFL has taken no action against him.
Cowan apologised after his ban for conduct unbecoming, calling it a wake-up call.
The league confirmed that Cowan had been banned for taking an illicit substance and will miss the first two games of next season.
It is also a notifiable adverse finding under the league's illicit drugs policy, which is separate to the standard anti-doping code.
The AFL handed him a suspended $5000 fine and Cowan must go through further eduction about the effects of illicit substances.
"I should never have put myself in such a vulnerable situation, I want to apologise for the impact my actions have had on my family and the football club," Cowan said.
"I also want to thank the medical professionals who helped me on the night, the football club for their ongoing support and everyone who took the time to reach out and make sure I was OK.
"This is a wake-up call and I am just so grateful to now be in a position to learn from this."
Fellow AFL players Bailey Smith and Jack Ginnivan also were banned for two games after social media revealed they had taken illicit substances.
"AFL players have a responsibility to themselves and their professional careers to uphold community expectations," AFL chief operating officer Tom Harley said.
"They are well educated when it comes to the harms associated with the use of illicit substances.
"Lachlan admitted his mistake and understands he must be accountable for his actions."
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