AFL players busted with bikies

The Herald Sun has been told Australian Federal Police agents have referred intelligence about AFL players to Victoria Police. Picture: Grant Nowell Source: The Advertiser

AFL players have been caught on telephone taps talking with underworld figures, including bikies involved in drug dealing.

The outlaw motorcycle club members, some of whom constantly travel to Asian nations that produce steroids and peptides, have been distributing performance-enhancing drugs in Australia.

It's believed most sales are through gyms.

The Herald Sun has been told Australian Federal Police agents have referred intelligence about AFL players to Victoria Police.

Players have appeared on the radar of the nation's peak law enforcement body over many years. Some are household names and have come to notice when found to be linked to criminals under investigation for dealing in illegal non-performance-enhancing drugs.

Most of the intelligence pre-dates the Australian Crime Commission's year-long investigation into drugs in sport. The release of its findings last week generated unprecedented debate about the nature and extent of the problem.

Australia's elite junior cricketers also have been identified as being at risk of corruption. Sources say young players could be groomed by international bookies who offer gratuities to drag them into their networks to be exploited later.

It is believed a group of bookies was planning to fly to Australia this summer to try to infiltrate elite cricketers aged 15-19.

Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said it had no evidence of the practice within Australia.

Mr Young said the head of CA's anti-corruption unit, Sean Carroll, was aware of grooming practices abroad.

"We are aware of the risk of this happening because it has happened in other sports overseas," Mr Young said. "We do educate junior cricketers on the risks."

At last year's ICC under-19 World Cup in northern Queensland, players received anti-corruption training and matches were overseen by an anti-corruption official.

Players were also banned from carrying mobile phones at matches - a compulsory restriction for senior elite cricketers.

State Sports Minister Hugh Delahunty said match-fixing was "probably the biggest concern" in sport, but he'd be shocked if junior cricketers had been targets.

"I'd be surprised if it gets down to that level, because you've got to have a betting field and it's usually on the major sports that they do that," he said.

Mr Delahunty said it was also a step too far to test TAC Cup footballers for drugs in a bid to stamp out the problem at junior level.

- with Mark Buttler and Peter Rolfe

anthony.dowsley@news.com.au

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