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GWS’s Whitfield suspended for six months for anti-doping breach

Lachie Whitfield handballs against the Swans.

Lachie Whitfield handballs against the Swans. Photo: AAP

Greater Western Sydney (GWS) midfielder and former No.1 draft pick Lachie Whitfield has been suspended for six months by the AFL for a breach of the anti-doping code.

The league’s investigation into accusations that Whitfield conspired to evade a drug test started last August but was first reported in September, as the Giants prepared for a maiden finals campaign.

Former Giants administrators Graeme Allan and Craig Lambert have received 12-month suspensions for their role in the incident.

Gillon McLachlan said Whitfield and the two administrators had been banned under rule 2.3 of the AFL, which covers “conduct unbecoming or prejudicial to the interests of the AFL”.

He said the sanctions were appropriate and would come into effect immediately.

“There’s not one piece of evidence or any allegation to do with performance enhancing drugs, he didn’t specifically get asked to do a test that he skipped,” he said.

“There has been clearly a breach of the anti-doping code, but it’s significantly different than when we’re talking about an allegation of any impropriate that involves performance enhancing drugs rather than a more administrative breach.”

Allan is now working with Collingwood in Victoria and Lambert is a welfare manager for the Brisbane Lions.

Whitfield was the No.1 draft pick in 2012.

McLachlan said the harsher penalty was appropriate for the administrators.

“[Whitfield]’s a 19-year-old kid who took advice from his supervisors, to the people who were looking after him, so there was different allocation of responsibility,” he said.

A decision has not been made as to whether an action will be taken against the club over the incident.

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