West Coast players narrowly avoid drugs ban

Three West Coast players luckily avoided a drugs ban, despite importing supplements found to contain banned substances.

Eagles high performance manager Glenn Stewart has revealed that the AFL's new rules implemented in order to avoid a repeat of the Essendon supplements saga, meant the players luckily did not ingest the supplements.

After the Bombers' drugs scandal, the league brought in new rules stating a club doctor must approve the use of any supplements for a player and the AFL this year banned the use of any imported products.

Speaking at a public forum at the University of Western Australia, Stewart revealed that three Eagles' players imported supplements from the US, which found to contain a banned substance once tested.

“Three players brought me supplements I had tested at a lab at Curtin University,” Stewart reportedly said.

“They had come from the USA and the lab found they contained banned substances. The problem is that every test costs $995.

“The AFL now has a rule that every supplement must be supplied by Australian companies.”

He said that the incident occured within the last three years.

Stewart also revealed that many of the players he has spoken to regarding the Essendon supplements saga "have no sympathy" for the banned players.

“I can’t speak for all of the players but the ones I have spoken to have no sympathy for the Essendon players,” he said.

“The AFL does education sessions on illicit substances, performance enhancing substances and harassment. The players are very well educated.”

Stewart has been employed by West Coast in various strength and conditioning roles since 1998.