Cristian Volpato, a 22-year-old forward playing for Australia’s national team, the Socceroos, and Italian club Sassuolo, tested positive for cocaine in a secondary oral fluid test conducted by New South Wales (NSW) Police. The incident occurred on 24 July 2026, when Volpato was stopped for speeding at 109 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge. During a roadside test, he initially showed a positive result for cocaine. However, a follow-up test at a private clinic reportedly returned a negative result. A later secondary test by police confirmed the presence of cocaine, leading to a traffic infringement notice issued on 1 September 2026. The notice carried a fine of $722, but no further legal action was taken by the police. Volpato had recently changed his international allegiance from Italy to Australia in preparation for the World Cup. He maintains that he did not knowingly consume the substance. His club, Sassuolo, stated that he had taken a drug test upon returning to Italy, which came back negative. Football Australia (FA), the governing body of Australian football, confirmed it was aware of the secondary test result and was seeking independent verification. The matter is being handled in accordance with FA’s established protocols, and the organization has chosen not to comment further to preserve the integrity of the process. The positive test may affect Volpato’s eligibility for future national team matches, including the upcoming Asian Cup in January. Sources suggest he could face disciplinary action from FA’s disciplinary and ethics committee, which might result in a suspension from national team activities. A similar case involved A-League Women goalkeeper Teresa Morrissey, who was banned for three games after testing positive for cannabis while driving, despite claiming it was for medicinal use. Her legal team argued the punishment was too harsh. Volpato’s situation has sparked interest in both Australia and Italy, where he plays in Serie A. He has appeared in three matches for Sassuolo this season but missed their latest game due to a suspected hamstring injury. Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has not commented on whether Volpato will be selected for upcoming friendlies against Brazil, stating that he will not speculate and will wait for the process to conclude.