Collingwood pair Lachlan Keeffe, Josh Thomas banned until February 2017 under AFL anti-doping code

THE AFL has confirmed Collingwood duo Lachlan Keeffe and Josh Thomas are banned from the AFL until February 10 2017 after returning positive drug test.

Collingwood duo Lachie Keeffe and Jsh Thomas front the media with CEO Gary Pert and footy manager Neale Balme today . Pic: Michael Klein

DELISTED Collingwood duo Lachlan Keeffe and Josh Thomas are banned from AFL competition until February 2017 after the AFL confirmed the pair had accepted two-year suspensions under the AFL’s anti-doping code.

The AFL confirmed the length and date of the bans on Wednesday after the Pies duo pleaded guilty to testing positive to WADA-banned drug Clenbuterol.

While Keeffe and Thomas, alongside Collingwood officials, announced in August the duo would accept the maximum two-year ban, the date of those bans was not confirmed until now.

The pair cannot return to AFL competition until February 9 2017 but can begin training with an AFL club after December 9 2016.

They returned positive tests on February 10 2015.

Collingwood officially delisted Keeffe and Thomas last month but remain committed to re-drafting them in this year’s rookie draft on November 27.

Last week Pies list boss Derek Hine confirmed the club’s position on re-drafting the duo to the Herald Sun, declaring the depth in the club’s list has given them a lifeline.

“We are committed to the boys. Clearly they will be standing out of footy for a long time,’’ Hine said.

“It is a substantial commitment to us in managing our list as well and it’s something we have to think through.

“Two years is a long time and who knows at the end of that period if they want to continue.

“It’s going to be a challenging year for them and I don’t think anyone hand on heart can envisage where they are at.

“But all we can say is they are in a really good space and we will see how it goes.”

Keeffe and Thomas maintain they did not knowingly ingest Clenbuterol, instead believing it entered their system after taking illicit drugs laced with the performance-enhancing drug.