Sassuolo player Christian Volpato, who played for Australia at the recent World Cup, has tested positive for cocaine after he was stopped for speed violation.
The Sassuolo player made three appearances for Australia at the World Cup.
On Thursday, he was arrested around 11:00 PM on the Anzac Bridge in Sydney after driving 30 kilometers per hour over the speed limit in a zone with a maximum speed of 60 kilometers per hour. A breathalyzer test showed that Volpato had not consumed any alcohol.
Two hours later, he was arrested again, once more on the Anzac Bridge. This time, according to the police, he was driving at approximately 109 kilometers per hour. Shortly thereafter, Volpato underwent a saliva test, which came back positive for cocaine use.
The investigation is ongoing, as the police are conducting additional saliva testing.
Volpato was fined and his driving license in Australia was suspended for six months.
The Australian Football Federation are aware of the incident.
“We have been in contact with the player and will follow the process. We will support him throughout the entire process,” a spokesperson said.
The Australian Football Federation enforce strict rules regarding the use of banned substances. A player who tests positive can receive a suspension of up to four years. If the use occurred outside of match play, that penalty can be reduced to three months.
Volpato made three appearances for Australia at the World Cup, including in the Round of 16 against Egypt. Shortly before the World Cup, he made the final decision to play for Australia, after previously having played 20 youth international matches for Italy.
