PLAYERS have been repeatedly forced to miss matches because of serious breaches of the league's controversial illicit drug policy.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou confirmed to Patrick Smith of The Australianyesterday that the policy had been used to ban players from participating in premiership matches but he said he did not believe confidentiality of any individuals had been compromised.

"Club doctors would tell the coach or the football manager that a certain player was not in a condition to play," Demetriou told The Australian here.

"He does not need to specify any injury or illness, just that he considers the player not well enough to play.

"It is not uncommon if a club doctor who is treating a player, for depression say, to tell the coach that the player is not available for selection because of illness."

AFL medical officer Peter Harcourt told last week's AFL summit on drugs - attended by all club chief executives - that players continued to be stood down while they were undergoing rehabilitation.

He told the summit a number of club doctors had been told by the AFL medical staff that the footballers concerned were "not fit to play".

It is not known if any player has been forced to miss a finals match under the code.

The Australian also believes that testing showed at least four players had tested positive twice to banned drugs last season.

Last year two clubs were counselled by the AFL that testing indicated there could be an adverse drug culture within the team.

One of those clubs was Collingwood, whose chief executive Gary Pert was behind the AFL's decision to convene last week's summit.

Pert had claimed that illicit drugs were the greatest threat to the health of the AFL and that they were the reason for players' ``volcanic behaviour''.

Under the controversial three-strikes policy, players who require rehabilitation will be tested for illicit drugs but any positive test will not count against them while they are under treatment.



However, no footballer can play in competition matches unless any drug tests are recorded and counted.

"You don't have to be on two strikes to be forced to stop playing," Demetriou said.

"If a player tests positive just once and the AFL medical officers believe he needs prolonged rehabilitation then he will not be allowed to play.''

Demetriou yesterday denied that the league treated drug addiction differently to the serious problems associated with alcohol and gambling.

"Players have been stood down from matches because they are being treated for gambling and alcohol addictions," he said.

Originally published as Players banned under drugs policy