AFL players could agree to hair testing during the 2015 season as part of a review of the League’s illicit drugs policy.
The information gathered would be used for statistical purposes only to help build an evidence base to inform any potential amendments to the policy, which was introduced in 2005 after agreement from the players.
The proposal was discussed at a meeting of the AFL Players Association board, attended last Wednesday by AFL football operations manager Mark Evans and AFL chief medical officer Peter Harcourt.
AFLPA 'open to review' of illicit drugs policy
The AFLPA offered to seek approval as soon as practical from players for in-season hair testing for statistical purposes only to start with.
Hair testing is currently only conducted between seasons to gather information on the amount and nature of illicit drug use by players when on leave and any change to the testing protocols would need player approval.
At this stage players do not record a strike if they record a positive test after being hair tested during the off-season, and there is no suggestion anything would change until after a review is conducted.
The AFLPA has been clear that it is keen for testing results to be kept private, rather than being released publicly each year as has happened since the policy was introduced in 2005.
But AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh has been open to a review of the policy as long as the welfare of the players remains the objective.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan told 3AW on Friday that the AFL expected an increase in positive tests and it is understood that increase is related to activity in the off-season. However McLachlan said the increase was "not huge".
The release of those results is expected within weeks.
Marsh told AFL.com.au at the beginning of April he was open to review of the policy.
"It's a policy that AFL players have agreed to be subject to on the basis that it is a medical model and player wellbeing is at the heart of it," he said.
"The AFLPA is always open to reviewing this policy if we think it can be improved and it is consistent with the principles of the current medical model."
