The build-up to the NRL’s finals series has been overshadowed by the fallout from a roadside drug test for high-profile Canterbury player Josh Addo-Carr, which did not follow usual police procedures and has prompted the winger to stand himself down from Sunday’s elimination final against Manly.
Addo-Carr returned an allegedly positive preliminary drug wipe on Friday night before NSW police officers took an oral sample for subsequent testing. But the officers allowed the player to drive away because they were called to a nearby home invasion before they could conduct a second drug wipe.
Addo-Carr has maintained he has not taken any drugs.
“Josh vehemently defends himself here,’’ Bulldogs general manager of football, Phil Gould, said. “However, Josh has made the decision to stand himself down, to put the team first. I want to emphasise that Josh believes he is completely innocent. He can’t understand how he tested positive to this roadside test.”
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NSW police issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon to explain why Addo-Carr was allowed to drive away despite his positive result.
“About 10.45pm on Friday, officers attached to Auburn Police Area Command were patrolling Baywater Drive, Wentworth Point, when they stopped a Toyota hatchback for random testing. The driver – a 29-year-old man – was subject to a roadside [alcohol] breath test which returned a negative result,” the statement said.
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