Joel Smith expecting to serve three-month suspension after testing positive to cocaine

Sources close to Joel Smith say he will be ‘owning his decision’ after failing a drug test, as details emerge about his expected suspension.

Joel Smith failed a drug test late in the home and away season. Picture: Michael Klein

Melbourne’s Joel Smith is expecting to serve a three-month suspension after testing positive to cocaine.

The suspension would be served over summer and he will be available for round one selection next year.

Sources close to Smith said he would be “owning his decision’’ at a hearing with Sports Integrity Australia, which could be held in about three weeks.

“He knows he’s stuffed up,’’ the source said.

Smith, who has been provisionally suspended, was tested after the round 23 match against Hawthorn by SIA officials as part of regulation in-competition testing for performance enhancing drugs.

Contracted for 2024, sources said Smith, Melbourne and the AFL Players Association were expecting a three-month ban because the cocaine was consumed out of competition.

Under the AFL’s anti-doping code, which was updated on January 1, 2021, “an athlete who has tested positive to a Substance of Abuse’ in-competition (which includes cocaine), the sanction is only three months if the athlete can prove the substance was used out of competition and was unrelated to sporting performance’’.

Joel Smith is owning his mistake after his failed test. Picture: Michael Klein

A suspension could be reduced to one month if the athlete “completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by AFL”.

It’s understood Smith will contend he was dealing with mental health issues at the time he took the banned substance.

If mental health is found to have played a role, it’s possible Smith will escape a strike under the AFL’s illicit drugs code.

The illicit drug code is separate from the anti-doping code.

A urine sample taken from Smith after the game returned positive for the banned substance.

It’s believed he took cocaine on Thursday or Friday night ahead of the Sunday clash with the Hawks.

He was told about his positive test last week and the AFL was made aware at the same time.

The AFL had planned to announce Smith’s drugs drama on Friday after this week working with Melbourne officials and the players association.

The AFL complies with WADA’s anti-doping code, which is governed in Australia by SIA, and cocaine is listed on the WADA in-competition prohibited list of stimulants.

The AFL said in a statement: “The AFL confirms that a mandatory provisional suspension (which is effective immediately) has been imposed on Melbourne FC player Joel Smith following notification to him by Sport Integrity Australia of an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) and a potential violation of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (Code).

“It is asserted that a sample provided by Smith during an In-Competition doping control test on 20 August 2023 returned an AAF for the presence of Cocaine and its metabolite Benzoylecgonine being a Prohibited Substance under the Code.

“The AFL was made aware of the test results at the same time. The matter is now progressing in accordance with the Code, initially involving further investigation by Sport Integrity Australia supported by the AFL.

Smith is expecting to miss a month of football. Picture: AFL Photos

“In the interim Smith will not be part of Melbourne’s football program.”

Melbourne said in a statement: “The club will continue to support Joel throughout the process and ensure our supporters are informed further when we are authorised to do so.”

AFL rules dictate that the “in-competition” period starts at “11:59pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to participate through the end of such competition and the sample collection process’’.

In 2019, Collingwood’s Sam Murray argued that he had inadvertently ingested a tiny amount of cocaine before he was given an 18-month suspension.

In 2020, former Gold Coast ruckman Brayden Crossley accepted a 12-month suspension for an unintentional anti-doping violation.

In 2015, then Collingwood players Lachie Keeffe and Josh Thomas accepted two-year bans for testing positive to the drug clenbuterol.

They were tested in February of that year, which was out of competition.

More recently, Willie Rioli, when he was at the Eagles, was suspended for two years after being found guilty of substituting his urine during two anti-doping drugs tests.

Smith forced his way into the Demons side in round 12 against Carlton and played every game for the remainder of the season.

He kicked three goals in Melbourne’ semi-final loss to Carlton.

Smith became a father for the first time in September.

Originally published as Joel Smith expecting to serve three-month suspension after testing positive to cocaine