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Waite backs AFL drugs system

By Laura Gardiner
29 January 2013 02:34PM EST

CARLTON utility Jarrad Waite has declared the AFL's drugs system and policies are the best in the world, ahead of the highly-anticipated drugs summit on Wednesday.

And Waite says he wouldn't mind being drug tested "every day of the week", insisting the Blues have a drug-free culture.

It comes after explosive revelations by Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper that as many as four Collingwood players had "self-reported" drug use to avoid official strikes against their names. 

While Magpies president Eddie McGuire fumed over the lack of knowledge clubs have been afforded by the AFL's system, Waite says it's the world-leader.

"I think our system is very good. The players chose to have this system in place and it's the best drugs system in the world," Waite declared.

"There is a lot of sports out there that don't get drug tested in the off-season.

"As a playing group we decided as a whole to be tested in the off-season to prove to the people that we are not a drug cultured sport.

"But at the end of the day we are happy with the way it's been.

"If it changes we are fully supporting the AFL and the PA (Players' Association)."

Waite said despite the reports about Carlton's arch-rival, he has never seen any drug use in football.

The often injury-prone forward said he doubted that many players would put their livelihoods at risk with substance abuse.

"I don't see any of it. I wouldn't mind if I got tested every day of the week, because I don't do it," he said.

"If they want to do more tests, that's good because I've got full confidence, especially at Carlton, that we don't have a drug culture here.

“I would be very surprised if professional athletes were putting their careers at risk by doing drugs and doing stupid things like that.

"Personally, if I got tested every day, it would annoy me, but it wouldn't bother me because I don't do drugs."

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