West Coast Eagles star forward Willie Rioli to face Darwin court after being charged with drug possession
West Coast Eagles premiership forward Willie Rioli will face court in Darwin on Wednesday after allegedly being caught in possession of cannabis in the Northern Territory.
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WEST Coast Eagles premiership forward Willie Rioli will face court in Darwin on Wednesday after allegedly being caught in possession of cannabis in the Northern Territory.
NT Police said the 25-year-old West Coast Eagles forward was screened by a drug detection dog on April 23 and a subsequent search allegedly turned up 25 grams of the drug.
Rioli was charged with possessing less than a trafficable quantity of a schedule 2 substance in a public place.
West Coast released a statement on Tuesday morning stating their support for their club man.
“The West Coast Eagles Football Club is aware that Willie Rioli will face court tomorrow in Darwin,” the statement read.
“As this is a legal matter before the courts the club will not make any official statement at this time. The club will support Willie through this process.”
Rioli last played for the Eagles in the 2019 elimination final against Essendon on September 5, 2019.
He was later suspended for producing an adverse analytical finding for urine substation on August 20 of the same year.
Two weeks later he returned a positive test for metabolite cannabis and was suspended on September 12 a day before West Coast’s semi-final.
He was found guilty of three breaches of the AFL’s anti-doping code, two relating to tampering with a urine sample and one for the use of cannabis.
On March 4 the 25-year-old was formally handed a two-year backdated suspension without appeal which would have allowed him to return to play from August 20.
The maximum penalty for tampering with a urine sample is four years, a penalty the small forward was pleased to see halved at the time.
He remains contracted with the Eagles until the end of the 2022 AFL season.
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