Drug use rampant in Australian Football League, says Oz defender Milicevic

Melbourne, Feb 16(ANI): Australian footballer Ljubo Milicevic has claimed that drug use is rampant in the Australian Football League (AFL), and admitted that players had offered him cocaine in Melbourne nightclubs.

The 30-year-old central defender also said that the anti-drug code is covering up the substance abuse.

"The first thing an AFL footballer said to me when I got back to Melbourne and I was in a nightclub was, 'do you want a line of coke?' I said I was happy with a shot of Agua," Fox Sports quoted Milicevic, as saying.

"I can tell you there are players on drugs. Why? Because I am linked with the underworld and I know people and they tell me things. You can bury your heads in the sand, but rest assured, idols in the AFL and NRL are out taking drugs."

"And you cover it up and do good PR campaigns about your strike policy over drugs and try to bag football. When in our game if someone is caught taking drugs they get banned for a year, no questions asked ... So don't sell us some PR campaign - you're a bunch of bigots. You think you're bigger than society itself," he added.

Milicevic has had a decorated career having captained Australia, played in the European Champions League and been in Guus Hiddink's World Cup qualifying squad in 2005.

However, the twilight of his career has been littered by controversy and strong opinions on society. (ANI)