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Michael Warner is an award-winning investigative journalist with Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper, and also CODE Sports, and author of the best-selling book, The Boys’ Club, the inside story behind the power and politics of the Australian Football League. In 2022, he won the Walkley Award for sports reporting, the Melbourne Press Club Gold Quill and was named the Harry Gordon Australian Sports Journalist of the Year.

Michael Warner

Latest

Golf

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 30: Min Woo Lee of Australia looks on alongside Cameron Smith of Australia on the 13th hole during the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club on November 30, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Another Aussie Masters setback as gym accident adds to carnage

A freak gym mishap and a bout of flu have added to a growing list of setbacks for the Australian contingent at Augusta.

Sport

Jasper Stubbs of Australia celebrates winning the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship following a playoff against Wenyi Ding of China following the final round of the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship being played at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday, October 29, 2023. Photograph by AAC.

Meet the 22-year-old amateur ready to tackle Augusta

Jasper Stubbs won his place in this year’s Masters field with a win in last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. This week, he’ll tee off with Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and company.

AFL

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 29: Andrew Bogut looks on during game one of the NBL Semi Final series between the Illawarra Hawks and the Sydney Kings at WIN Entertainment Centre on April 29, 2022 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Bogut reveals AFL players offered him drugs, slams league’s stance

Australian basketball legend Andrew Bogut has hit out at the AFL’s drug code, while CEO Andrew Dillon had some choice words of his own for the WADA founding president.

Sport

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - Newswire Photos November 10, 2023: AFL CEO Andrew Dillon during a State Memorial Service to honour the life of Australian Football League (AFL) legend Ronald (Ron) Dale Barassi AM at the MCG. Picture NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

‘Ill-informed, wrong’: Dillon rejects Soviet drug test comparisons

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has rejected claims from world anti-doping godfather Dick Pound, saying comparisons to Soviet-style testing regimes is “sensationalising” the issue.

AFL

Infiltration, corruption: Brutal reality of AFL’s ‘soft’ drugs policy

Patrick Dangerfield says the critics of the AFL’s illicit drugs policy are dinosaurs, yet one reality seems lost on its defenders, how the policy exposes the AFL to corruption, writes Michael Warner.

ExclusiveAFL

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 27: Richard Goyder, Chairman of the AFL speaks during the 2023 W Awards at Crown Palladium on November 27, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Calls for heads to roll over AFL’s secretive drug bombshell

AFL bosses are facing mounting pressure after the league’s secret drug testing regime was laid bare, with a former police chief leading calls for the resignations of some of the league’s most senior figures.

AFL

Neil Mitchell farewell/retirement lunch at Melbourne town hall. Gillon McLachlan, Andrew Dillon and Andrew Demetriou. Friday, February 9, 2024. Picture: David Crosling

Warner: AFL’s drug testing regimes don’t pass pub test

Since 2005, the AFL’s drug testing policy has WADA-approved game day testing regime, a three-strikes policy regime and – as revealed this week – another regime from club doctors. It doesn’t pass the pub test, writes MICK WARNER.

AFL

100 AFL players caught up in secret drug tests bombshell

Footy insiders have revealed the extent of the clandestine scheme involving players from all 18 clubs who are given free rein to take drugs without penalty.

AFL

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 06: Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive Officer of the AFL speaks with media during the Sydney Opening Round Media Opportunity at Circular Quay on March 06, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

‘Unapologetic’ AFL defends drug testing secrecy

The AFL says it is “unapologetic” about secret drug testing and defended players’ rights to keep their medical information private. Read the league’s full statement.

AFL News

Presser Melbourne football club. Jessie Hogan Diagnosed With cancer. Josh Mahoney, General Manager Club Football and Dr Zeeshan Arain. Picture: Tony Gough

‘Off the books’ drug test claims in bombshell AFL ‘cover-up’

Parliament has been told of secret tests allegedly authorised by the AFL to help players evade detection in what one MP claims could be a “multi-hundred million dollar fraud”.

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/journalists/michael-warner/page/13