EXCLUSIVE



AUSTRALIA'S leading sporting bodies, including the AFL, are pushing for marijuana to be removed from the international list of performance-enhancing drugs.

The bodies will meet World Anti-Doping Agency director-general David Howman in Sydney tomorrow and are expected to push a view that marijuana should not be treated as a banned match-day substance.

Australia's Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports - which includes the AFL, the NRL, Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia - has a view that while cannabis is dangerous, it should not be treated as performance enhancing.

AFL football operations boss Adrian Anderson confirmed the AFL's preference would be to have cannabis removed from WADA's list of banned match-day performance-enhancing drugs, which the AFL observes.

The removal of cannabis would also be welcomed by the AFL Players Association, which fought vigorously seven years ago against the AFL's decision to adopt WADA's rules on the drug.