ILLICIT drug use in the AFL is "out of control", recently retired St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt says.
Riewoldt disputed his former coach Grant Thomas' recent assertion recreational drug use had been "rife" among Saints players during his 2001-2006 tenure, but told Melbourne radio station SEN today's players were "taking the piss" out of the AFL's illicit drug policy.
"It's out of control now because players can (use drugs). That's the way the policy is set up," Riewoldt said on Monday morning.
"The AFL, by their own admission, say the policy aims to identify AFL players who have substance abuse issues and places the necessary support around them to protect their health and wellbeing,"
"The vast majority of players don't have abuse issues, they're just taking the piss out of the system.
Hair testing in the off-season and during the season, that's only to identify the numbers. There's no recourse, there are no ramifications, it's a free-for-all.
Under the AFL's illicit drug policy, a player is not suspended until he records two 'strikes', and until then no one at his club is informed other than the team doctor.
Riewoldt, who retired at the end of 2017, said the AFL should introduce a more punitive system in which players were suspended after one positive drug test.
"What I would say, if they're serious about getting the number closer to zero, remove the safety net," he said.
"If players do have a legitimate substance abuse issue, then getting a suspension on their first detection is probably the least of their worries. They need to get their life together.
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"The blokes that are just doing it because they can, because the system allows them to get away with it, you're telling me if they're getting a four-week ban for first detection they're going to do it?
"I don't think they're that stupid. They're not going to do it because they're going to get suspended and everyone's going to know.
"Right now, the only deterrent is the Shane Mumford situation where you get caught doing it.
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"Here's where the system is a bit ridiculous. If a player goes out after a game, he's got a corkie and he goes out and has six beers, on Monday he'll be in front of the leadership group … and he might even miss a game of footy.
"But if you want to go out on the weekend and take drugs, no worries, go your hardest, because the worst you're going to cop is a strike that no one knows about."
Earlier on Monday morning, AFL Players' Association CEO Paul Marsh defended the League's drug policy.
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"Every single player in the competition gets hair tested twice a year, so I think we've got a very good handle on the prevalence of drug issues," Marsh said.
"I've said a number of times, we know that there are AFL players that are using illicit drugs. What I do know is that we are doing a good job, but it's an ongoing issue. This isn't going to go away.
"It's an issue in society that is getting bigger and worse. We've got a policy that's been put in place by medical experts. I think some people just need to take some time to understand what is in place."
