West Coast star Willie Rioli tests positive for banned substance

Stood down West Coast star Willie Rioli has now sensationally tested positive for cannabis — but an ASADA technicality could spare him.

West Coast star Willie Rioli has tested positive to a banned performance enhancing substance following his team’s AFL Finals exit.

Two weeks after being stood down for reportedly tampering with his own drugs test, the AFL on Tuesday confirmed he has now tested positive for a metabolite of cannabis.

Rioli is now facing a fresh ban that could end his football career after testing positive to the banned substance during a test following the Eagles’ elimination final win over Essendon.

The September 5 test found traces of cannabis in Rioli’s system six days before he was first notified of his first Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for allegedly tampering with his test last month.

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The star forward was reportedly sprung by ASADA agents on August 20 tampering with his own urine test sample when tested following a training session.

However, the six-day interim period between his positive cannabis test and his first notification from ASADA regarding his initial infraction means that he is still only facing one suspension period, according to former ASADA chief Richard Ings.

Ings posted on Twitter Tuesday that Rioli will serve whichever suspension period is more severe — if found guilty of any WADA code breach.

Rioli update

A positive drug test for cannabis in-comp.

As it happened on Sep 5, which was before he was notified of on Sep 11 of his alleged substitution, it is considered a concurrent and not a consecutive matter.

So is still facing one consequence.

Whichever is worse. https://t.co/jKkauN2RsX

— Richard Ings (@ringsau) September 24, 2019

“As it happened on Sep 5, which was before he was notified of on Sep 11 of his alleged substitution, it is considered a concurrent and not a consecutive matter,” Ings posted.

“So is still facing one consequence. Whichever is worse.”

Because Rioli tested positive for the banned substance on match day, his cannabis finding is considered performance enhancing.

A positive test for a cannabis metabolite out of competition is not considered performance enhancing and results in AFL players receiving a strike under the game’s illicit substance policy, but no action from ASADA.

The Eagles released a statement to announce Rioli’s hearing with ASADA could take several months to complete and the club will continue to support him through it.

“The West Coast Eagles have recently been made aware that a sample taken from Willie Rioli has tested positive for a metabolite of cannabis,” the Eagles announced.

“As stipulated two weeks ago, the club’s primary concern remains the health and wellbeing of Willie. We will continue to support him through this particularly challenging time to assist him while this ongoing investigation runs its course.

“The club will respect the process of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding this case and will co-operate fully with it.

“We expect that these processes will take some months to complete and the club will not be in a position to make further comment until such completion.”

The AFL released a statement on Tuesday confirming Rioli has been made aware of his second drugs bombshell this month.

“The AFL has confirmed that William Rioli of the West Coast Eagles has been notified of a further Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) and a potential violation of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (Code) in respect of a test conducted by ASADA on September 5, 2019,” the AFL statement claimed.

Willie Rioli has tested positive for cannabis.

“The test was conducted following the West Coast Eagles’ elimination final against Essendon.”

Rioli was pulled from the Eagles’ semi-final loss to Geelong after flying to Melbourne with teammates.

He then travelled to Darwin to be with friends and family before watching on as his team was beaten by the Cats.

Rioli is still in the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory, with family and recently posted a picture of himself and West Coast development coach Chance Bateman together.

He released a statement on Facebook two weeks ago following reports he filled his ASADA urine test vial with a sports drink.

“Just want to thank all my real family & friends for all the love and support through this tough time!” Rioli said in a post on Facebook earlier this month.

“Im so so sorry I had to put yous (sic) all through this! We will get through this!

“I’ve gone through tougher times life support, depression, bullying an we’ve gotten through!

“Hopefully this lil mistake is a lesson to be learnt! This definitely doesn’t define me as a person! I love yous all.”

Willie Rioli was stood down for the Eagles’ loss to the Cats.

Rioli will not be eligible to compete while the investigation is ongoing but will be able to train with the West Coast squad.

According to reports earlier this month, Rioli had been preparing to defend himself during the ASADA hearing process by claiming he was unable to provide urine during the August 20 test and instead poured a foreign substance into his test cup out of frustration.

The West Australian reported Rioli could not produce a urine sample after spending several hours with drug testers.

“Willie Rioli was frustrated that he could not produce a urine sample after several hours with Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority testers when he put a sports drink into his sample jar,” the report read.

“He will claim he was dehydrated and unable to produce a urine sample when he made the baffling decision to pour the drink into the jar provided for his sample.”

According to the report, Rioli later had a blood test which did not reveal any illicit or performance enhancing substance in his body.

However, the dramatic revelations of a positive test for cannabis now throws that entire claim into doubt as well as the future of the 24-year-old.