Kennett slams drugs 'cop-out'

Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has slammed the AFL's drugs summit as a 'cop-out', saying the competition needs clearer rules that ban illicit drug use for AFL footballers.

Speaking on _SEN_ following the AFL's summit on Wednesday, Kennett accused the AFL Players' Association of having too much power in terms of maintaining the status quo with the Illicit Drug Policy.

Kennett said the three strike policy and any exemptions for self-reporting drug use should be abolished but added that if the three strikes policy remained, clubs needed to be informed after two strikes.

And, he said if the AFL didn't make changes they may be endangering player's lives.

"This is a cop out," was Kennett's initial response to the summit.

"From what I understand today, it's been a talk-fest.

"I have now come to the view, even though, I'm prepared to compromise, that the time has come for the AFL and the presidents to simply say and put in place the simplest policy possible.

"That is the use of illicit drugs or performance-enhancing drugs in the code of AFL is not acceptable and if you are caught you will be suspended or banned.

"In other words, what we've got is a cocktail. It's open to abuse by people self-declaring."

And Kennett didn't mince his words when discussing the AFLPA.

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Kennett slams drugs 'cop-out'