'Categorically not true': Eddie McGuire blows up over drug 'rumours'

Eddie McGuire has angrily denied claims that 16 players at one AFL club have used a mental health loophole to avoid drug testing.

Earlier this week, 3AW Radio host Ross Stevenson said he had it on good authority that “there is indeed one AFL club that has 16 players on its list who have registered as having mental health issues, which means that they can not be randomly drug tested for illicit drugs.”

But on Friday, McGuire smacked down the claims.

“I wanna come off right now and say that is not true,” the Collingwood boss said on Triple M.

“That is categorically not true.

“There’s not a team that’s got 16, and it’s not 14, and it’s not 15, and it’s not 17… I’m saying that that’s not true.

“There’s been reporting over the journey that is not true in these situations.”

Asked how he knew for sure, McGuire said: “The presidents don’t know.

“I have been a journalist for a long time I know how to find the stories. I stand by my sources, it’s not true.

“You have to trust me on this situation. I’m telling you let’s not get excited about rumours and stick to the facts.

“Is there a problem? Of course there is a problem, there is a societal problem.

“You don’t have to get all excited about this because it makes a headline in the dull part of a season.

“There a mental health issues at play here involved. Is it a perfect system? No. Are they going to revise it? Yes they are.”

AFL Players Association president and Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield also hit back at Stevenson’s claims.

“I’m not sure where those numbers have come from, but I think they’ve been plucked out of the sky and I would severely doubt that,” Dangerfield said on SEN Radio.

“The system is in place for a reason, it is not there to be exploited so we’ve got to continue to communicate that message and I’m really confident the vast majority of players understand that really clearly.”

The drama has now led to the AFL reviewing the illicit drugs policy.

“The AFL and AFL Players’ Association have been undertaking a review of the illicit drugs policy, which expires in 2020, to ensure the objectives of the policy, including player welfare and accountability, continue to be met,” a spokesperson told The Herald Sun.

“The ongoing review will include consultation with clubs, players and medical professionals.”