The AFL has suspended Carlton player Lachie Cowan for two matches and fined him $5,000 after finding him guilty of conduct unbecoming related to illicit substance use last weekend, with additional education required.
AI-generated summary
The AFL investigated Lachie Cowan's use of an illicit substance last weekend and the circumstances surrounding how the matter became public.
The AFL has suspended Carlton's Lachie Cowan for two matches following an investigation into his use of an illicit substance last weekend.
The league said "the circumstances in which the matter subsequently became public" were also the subject of the investigation.
Cowan was found guilty of conduct unbecoming.
He will be suspended for the first two home-and-away matches of the 2027 season and issued with a $5,000 fine.
Cowan will be required to undertake further education above the current mandated training on illicit substances and their effects.
The league said the matter would "constitute a notifiable adverse finding under the AFL's illicit drugs policy".
"AFL players have a responsibility to themselves and their professional careers to uphold community expectations," AFL chief operating officer Tom Harley said in a league statement.
"They are well-educated when it comes to the harms associated with the use of illicit substances.
"Lachlan admitted his mistake and understands he must be accountable for his actions."
Supercars will return to Phillip Island in 2027 as part of a five-year agreement with the Victorian government, aiming to offset an $80 million revenue loss from the MotoGP's move to Adelaide. The announcement follows the final MotoGP at Phillip Island in October 2025 and the last FIM Superbike World Championship round in 2027, with local tourism dependent on motorsport events.
Australia defeated New Zealand in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup opener at Sydney Football Stadium. Debutant Jack Bostock scored a hat trick, including a late match-winning try, while Kiwi fullback Kalyn Ponga left the field with a suspected broken arm.
ABC Sport launches live digital coverage for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup opener featuring a heavyweight clash between Australia and New Zealand.
Declan Meredith will start at fly half for Australia in the final Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand at Stadium Australia, replacing injured Ben Donaldson. The Wallabies also moved Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to centre due to Len Ikitau's concussion, while Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and Kalani Thomas await Test debuts as reserves.
Australia's Jillaroos, fresh from a historic 2017 World Cup win, enter the 2025 Rugby League World Cup as overwhelming favorites due to sustained dominance, while rival nations like New Zealand, England, and Samoa show signs of progress but face steep challenges in closing the gap.
The Australian ParaMatildas seek to become the first national team to defend a World Cup title in football for athletes with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, or stroke symptoms, while the Pararoos target a best-ever men's finish, both competing in Atlanta amid rising global competition and challenging weather conditions.