Socceroo star’s positive cocaine test confirmed by second sample
Cristian Volpato and his supporters had insisted for weeks that a roadside drug test in July had returned a false positive result.
Socceroos player Cristian Volpato is facing uncertainty over his future after testing positive for cocaine in a secondary drug test. The 22-year-old was pulled over on Sydney's Anzac Bridge on July 24 and initially tested positive for cocaine. He then underwent independent testing, which returned a negative result. However, a secondary oral fluid test confirmed a positive cocaine reading.
Volpato was issued a $722 fine by NSW Police and has maintained his innocence, insisting he never knowingly ingested the substance. The Sassuolo forward was a late inclusion for the Socceroos' World Cup campaign and has since switched his international allegiance from Italy to Australia. Football Australia is currently seeking independent verification of the positive test result, as per their established protocols.
The Socceroos are scheduled to play friendly matches against Brazil and in the Asian Cup over the next six months. The outcome of Volpato's case could impact his availability for these tournaments. Socceroos coach Tony Popovic declined to comment on whether Volpato would be selected for the upcoming matches, stating that it would be premature to speculate at this stage.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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