Cristian Volpato Faces Drug Test Controversy
Cristian Volpato faces fresh scrutiny after a second sample tested positive for cocaine, deepening the off-field storm surrounding one of Australian football’s brightest young stars.
The 22-year-old Socceroo was stopped on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge on the night of July 21, where a roadside drug test allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine. A secondary oral fluid sample, taken for further analysis, has now also tested positive.
NSW Police confirmed the outcome after being contacted by nine.com.au.
“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.”
Football Australia acknowledged the development, with a spokesperson saying the governing body is “currently seeking independent verification” of the findings.
Volpato maintains his innocence
Volpato has denied ever taking cocaine and is considering fighting the sanction.
“Our client has never touched cocaine and strenuously denies consuming it ever,” his lawyer Paul McGirr told the Sydney Morning Herald, adding that an appeal of the fine is on the table.
According to the Herald, 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 attacker. His international driver’s licence has already been suspended for six months after he was clocked driving almost 50km/h over the speed limit on the same night.
He was stopped twice in the same spot while driving a BMW across Anzac Bridge, telling police he had been at a party in Sydney’s CBD.
Club form, injury blow and Socceroos fallout
The day after being charged, Volpato flew back to Italy to rejoin Serie A side Sassuolo. He started the season brightly, scoring two goals in the club’s first five matches before suffering a hamstring injury over the weekend.
That setback is expected to keep him out of contention for the Socceroos’ upcoming clashes with Brazil in Queensland later this month, with coach Tony Popovic indicating both the injury and the ongoing process will weigh on selection.
“These young men, things happen and you can get caught for something that we have to look into,” Popovic said on Tuesday.
“There is a process that’s playing out at the moment about that, and we need to follow that process.”
Rising star at a crossroads
Volpato surged into the national spotlight during Australia’s World Cup campaign earlier this year, emerging as a breakout performer on the biggest stage. His decision to turn his back on Italy and commit his international future to the Socceroos was hailed as a major coup, underlining his status as one of the country’s premier young talents.
Now, with a positive second sample, a hefty fine, a suspended licence and a hamstring injury, the playmaker finds his momentum stalled and his reputation under intense examination.
The next move — on and off the pitch — will shape not just his season, but the trajectory of a career Australia has been banking on.
