Ryan Crowley says one of the toughest moments in the past 12 months was calling senior coach Ross Lyon to tell him he had tested positive to a prohibited substance.
The AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal announced on Thursday it had suspended the 31-year-old for 12 months after he tested positive in season 2014 to a specified substance under the AFL’s Anti-Doping Code.
AFL Tribunal decision on Ryan Crowley
Crowley said calling Lyon was the most difficult call to make.
“The phone call to Ross was probably the hardest,” he said.
“I respect him so much, I knew I really wanted to be out there this year and that was going to be tough to do.”
Crowley said while it was hard to tell Ross, once he explained the situation, the coach was extremely supportive.
Crowley did not intent to take prohibited substance: AFL Tribunal
“Ross is one of the most genuine and really caring people I’ve ever met,” he said.
“He made it pretty easy after the first few words.”
In a statement released on Thursday, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) chief executive Ben McDevitt said the Tribunal found Crowley did not intend to violate the World Anti-Doping Code.
