What did Joel Smith test positive for?

Joel Smith, a prominent Australian rules footballer donning the colors of the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), found himself entangled in a controversy that sent shockwaves through the football community.

In mid-October of 2023, Smith faced the grim reality of a provisional suspension after a routine drug-test turned up a positive result for cocaine. The incident occurred following the Demons’ victory over Hawthorn in round 23, a match that should have been a cause for celebration. However, the positive drug-test result cast a shadow over Smith’s performance and raised questions about the choices he made off the field.

According to reports, Smith provided a sample for an in-competition drug test on August 20, 2023, after the Round 23 clash against Hawthorn. The Australian Football League (AFL) revealed in a statement that the sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the presence of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine.

The AFL’s statement in October read, ‘It is asserted that a sample provided by Smith during an in-competition doping control test on 20 August 2023 returned an AAF for the presence of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine, being a prohibited substance under the code.’

In the wake of this incident, Smith faces the potential of a maximum penalty of a four-year ban, a consequence that could significantly impact his professional football career. However, there is a glimmer of hope for Smith if he can demonstrate that the breach was unintentional. In such a scenario, the penalty could be reduced to a one-month suspension.