Cristian Volpato’s immediate eligibility to represent the Socceroos will be determined by Football Australia after NSW Police confirmed that a follow-up test returned a positive result for cocaine.
Police stopped Volpato on Sydney’s Anzac Bridge on 24 July, where an initial roadside screening indicated the presence of cocaine.
The 22-year-old later arranged an independent examination at a private clinic, which reportedly produced a negative result. However, a second oral-fluid sample requested by police subsequently tested positive for cocaine.
NSW Police told AAP that a 22-year-old driver received a traffic infringement notice on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, for operating a vehicle with an illegal drug detected in his oral fluid.
No additional legal action will be taken against Volpato, although the confirmed result led to a $722 fine.
The Sassuolo attacker was initially stopped after allegedly travelling at 109km/h in an area with a 60km/h speed limit.
Born in Sydney, Volpato was added to the Socceroos’ World Cup squad at a late stage after choosing to represent Australia rather than Italy shortly before the competition.
During conversations with Football Australia officials, Volpato denied knowingly consuming cocaine and maintained that he had not deliberately taken the substance.
Sassuolo also said that another test conducted after the player returned to Italy came back negative.
Football Australia said in a statement supplied to AAP that it had received information about a reported secondary oral-fluid test involving one of its players and was working to verify the result independently.
The organisation added that the case was being handled under its established procedures. It declined to provide further details while the review remained active, citing the need to preserve the process and ensure fair treatment.
Nevertheless, the positive result recorded by police could significantly affect Volpato’s chances of taking part in January’s Asian Cup.
According to sources who spoke with AAP, Volpato may be required to appear before Football Australia’s disciplinary and ethics committee, which can prevent him from playing for the national team.
A similar case involved A-League Women goalkeeper Teresa Morrissey, who recorded a positive cannabis result after being tested while driving.
Although Morrissey said she had used cannabis for medical reasons, Football Australia imposed a three-match suspension last year. Her legal representatives argued that the penalty was excessive given her public standing.
Volpato’s conduct away from football received considerable media attention in both Australia and Italy, where he competes in Serie A.
He has made three appearances for Sassuolo this season but was unable to complete the latest match against Bologna after apparently suffering a hamstring problem.
Speaking at a media roundtable in Sydney on Tuesday, Socceroos manager Tony Popovic declined to say whether Volpato would be selected for this month’s friendly matches against Brazil.
Popovic said he did not have all the facts and believed it would be inappropriate to make assumptions. He added that incidents can occur involving young players and that the circumstances must be properly examined.
He explained that an official procedure was still underway and needed to be respected, adding that he would only be able to comment once it had concluded.
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