AFL boss Andrew Demtriou has defended the success of the league's illicit drugs policy despite a 400 per cent increase in positive tests being recorded.
Demetriou today revealed 26 players had tested positive to illicit substances in 2012, up from six the previous year.
AFL medical director Dr Peter Harcourt said cocaine was the drug players most often tested positive for.
It was also revealed three AFL players are now on their second strike.
These tests are for illegal drugs such as amphetamines, not performance enhancing drugs.
The AFL carried out more tests in 2012 - 1979 up from 1489 - but the percentage of failure still increased from .4 per cent to 1.31 per cent.
The failed test percentage is the worst since the second year of testing (2006).
Demetriou and AFLPA boss Matt Finnis both described the results as disappointing.
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But Demetriou said the rise in positive tests was an indication the policy was working by providing the opportunity to change player behaviour.
"It's not devastating,'' Demetriou said.
"This policy allows us to ensure that we remain vigilant, that we continue the education programs, we put these new amendments in place so that we can improve on these results.
"You may think that a significant increase is devastating, but from our perspective it means we have identified more people that we can shift their behaviours.''
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The AFL today released the latest drug testing results and the proposed amendments to the illicit drugs policy based on the work of the IDP working party, formed after a summit on February 1 prompted by Collingwood president Gary Pert's warning of "volcanic'' behaviour by players.
The contentious three-strikes policy is set to remain but clubs will have more freedom to target test their own players.
The proposed amendments include:
A PLAYER will be permitted to self-report illicit drug use only once during his AFL career.
CLUBS, based on their own observations, will be able to request the AFL medical directors to conduct additional target testing of a player or players.
CONTINUE the move to more target testing at more targeted times.
INCREASED level of hair testing during the high-risk off season.
Demetriou said the rise in tests was in line with the AFL's expectations, pointing to the increase in testing and greater player numbers in the competition.
"It's in keeping with what our expectation was, particularly post our briefings with the Victoria Police and Australian Crime Commission,'' he said.
"But I think there are significant enhancements to the policy. We have done significantly more tests.
"When we first started the policy in 2005, we did 472 tests and we had 19 positives. Last year we did 2000 tests and we have had 26 positives.
"We have got another 100 players playing the competition than we did when we first started in 2005.
"We know we have got more players, we have got more testing, we have got more target testing, we are able to identify more players that we can help.''
AFLPA Matt Finnis said the proposed changes to the policy were "sensible''.
"It's obviously disappointing for is to see a rise in the number of positive tests, but I think the results are a reminder that illicit drug use is a significant problem across society and football cannot afford to be complacent,'' Finnis said.
"The players continued to be committed to the policy, we think the amendments to the policy are sensible but they also maintain a commitment to the fundamental pillars of the policy, which is confidentiality, detection and rehabilitation and trying to change behaviours over time.''
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