Cristian Volpato Faces Drug Test Controversy
Cristian Volpato’s second drug test has returned a positive result for cocaine, deepening the off-field storm surrounding one of Australian football’s brightest young stars.
The 22-year-old Socceroo was first stopped by police on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge on the night of July 21, with The Sydney Morning Herald revealing on Wednesday that his secondary oral fluid sample had also tested positive.
Football Australia acknowledged the development but stressed it is still working through the details.
“We are currently seeking independent verification,” a spokesperson said.
NSW Police, contacted by nine.com.au, confirmed the sequence of events.
“He was subjected to a roadside drug test which allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine,” a police statement said.
“A secondary sample of oral fluid was taken for further analysis.
“Following inquiries, on Tuesday 1 September 2026, a 22-year-old man was issued a Traffic Infringement Notice for drive motor vehicle with illicit drug present in oral fluid etc with a $722 fine.”
Denial and possible appeal
Volpato, through his lawyer, has strongly rejected any suggestion he knowingly took the drug and is weighing up his legal options.
“Our client has never touched cocaine and strenuously denies consuming it ever,” lawyer Paul McGirr told The Sydney Morning Herald, adding the player would consider appealing the infringement.
According to the report, Volpato has told people close to him he believes his drink may have been spiked on the night in question.
The incident capped a chaotic few hours for the attacking midfielder. On the same night, he was clocked driving almost 50km/h over the speed limit and had his international driver’s licence suspended for six months. Police stopped him twice in the same spot as he drove a BMW across Anzac Bridge after attending a party in Sydney’s CBD.
Club form and fresh injury blow
Barely a day after being charged, Volpato flew back to Italy to rejoin Serie A side Sassuolo. On the pitch, he has started the season brightly, scoring two goals in the club’s first five games.
That momentum has stalled. A hamstring injury suffered over the weekend has put him back in the treatment room and, combined with the off-field saga, is set to keep him out of the national team picture for now.
The timing is grim. The Socceroos face Brazil in Queensland later this month, marquee fixtures that had loomed as another stage for Volpato to build on his World Cup breakout.
Popovic waits as process unfolds
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic addressed the situation on Tuesday, stressing that football authorities would not rush to judgment.
“These young men, things happen and you can get caught for something that we have to look into,” Popovic said.
“There is a process that’s playing out at the moment about that, and we need to follow that process.”
For now, that process and his injury mean Volpato is unlikely to feature in Popovic’s next squad.
It is a sharp turn for a player who, earlier this year, lit up Australia’s World Cup campaign and turned his back on Italy to commit his international future to the Socceroos. How he navigates the coming weeks will shape not just his reputation, but the trajectory of a career Australia once viewed as a cornerstone of its footballing future.
