Australian national team star tests positive for cocaine

Details: New South Wales Police have reported that 22-year-old Sassuolo and Australia midfielder Cristian Volpato allegedly tested positive for cocaine in a roadside test during a traffic stop in Sydney.

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It’s important to note that this was a preliminary test conducted on site, not a doping sample or a final laboratory result.

Volpato was pulled over twice in one night for speeding. The second incident, around 1:10 a.m., saw his BMW clocked at 109 km/h on the Anzac Bridge, where the speed limit is 60 km/h, according to police. Earlier that same night, officers claim he was already stopped on the same stretch for driving between 86 and 94 km/h.

Volpato had just made his debut for the Australian national team at the 2026 World Cup, featuring in three matches at the tournament. Now, both his future with the Socceroos and his reputation at Sassuolo could be in serious jeopardy.

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