The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) acknowledges the decision of the Australian Football League Anti-Doping Tribunal (the Tribunal) to impose an 18-month ban on athlete Samuel Murray for the presence of a metabolite of a prohibited substance. Mr Murray returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an in-competition doping control test on 28 July 2018.

His sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, which detected the presence of Benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of Cocaine). Cocaine is classed as an S6 stimulant on the Prohibited List and is prohibited in-competition.

Generally, cocaine produces an intense ‘rush’ with users feeling a sense of euphoria, alertness, arousal, and increased confidence. Many users find the drug addictive and may face a number of short and long term health problems including an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, kidney failure, and seizures or stroke.

The Tribunal imposed an 18-month ban on Mr Murray commencing on 17 August 2018. Mr Murray is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 17 February 2020.

• This media release was published by the Australian Football League (AFL) on 29 October 2019. Click here for the original.