AFL Victoria has issued a warning to Swan Hill region football clubs tempted to explore the use of dietary supplements in training regimes.
Horsham Mallee manager Bruce Petering has urged players to be “extremely careful” if considering the use of supplements that might otherwise be legal in the community but subject to restrictions for athletes.
“A lot of footballers don’t realise that community players are under the same code as the AFL,” Petering said.
The Guardian is aware of speculation of a local club sourcing supplements through a gym south of the local footy region.
The status of substances players might be considering using can be checked on the ASADA website, Petering said.
“Supplements that are added to protein shakes, say, you can go online to check [the status], they’d be fools if they’re not doing that,” he said.
Petering said information about clubs exploring supplement use could result in players facing testing for banned substances.
“There’s nothing to stop ASADA turning up at the front door of a player in Swan Hill… If there was a specific issue they might well do that,” he said.
Petering said he was not aware of a widespread illegal drugs problem in football clubs in the Swan Hill area.
But he said AFL Victoria understood issues with the availability and use of illegal drugs presented a challenge for local communities and clubs were a “huge part” of those communities.
“We’re not going to put our head in the sand and be that naïve. Drugs are an issue in society and football is a huge part of society,” Petering said.
For more on this story pick up a copy of today’s Guardian (Friday March 27).
