Overview
- Police say Volpato was stopped twice for speeding in Sydney on Friday and a roadside saliva test at the second stop reportedly returned a positive result for cocaine.
- Officers recorded him at 109 km/h in a 60 km/h zone during the later stop, issued an earlier fine that night and suspended his international driving licence for six months under New South Wales rules.
- Football Australia and the players’ union have said they are aware of the reports and will support the player while Sassuolo and Volpato have not issued a detailed public statement.
- The roadside test result is provisional pending laboratory confirmation, and a confirmed positive for a prohibited substance could trigger sporting sanctions under Australian anti-doping rules of up to four years unless a valid medical exemption or other reduction applies.
- Next steps are the lab result, the outcome of the police investigation and any formal sporting or legal proceedings, all of which will determine Volpato’s immediate career and reputational prospects as he prepares to join club preseason.