Australian World Cup player Cristian Volpato reportedly tested positive for cocaine after police stopped him twice for speeding in Sydney that same night.
The 22-year-old Australian midfielder was pulled over in a BMW coupe on the Anzac Bridge at 11:05 PM local time on Thursday after being detected driving between 86 and 94 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, according to police.
He underwent a roadside breath test, which yielded a negative outcome.
Nonetheless, Volpato reportedly tested positive for cocaine when he was pulled over two hours later for driving at 109km/h in the same 60km/h area.
New South Wales state police reported that Volpato received an infringement notice for speeding, and his international driver’s licence has been suspended for six months, preventing him from driving in New South Wales.
The police noted that their investigations will continue, and a second sample of saliva was collected for additional examination.
Volpato participated in three out of Australia’s four World Cup games as they advanced to the round of 32, where they were eliminated by Egypt in a penalty shootout.
After representing Italy at the youth level, he changed his allegiance to Australia in May, right before the Socceroos revealed their squad for the tournament.
Volpato has been with Serie A team Sassuolo since 2023 and has made 24 league appearances for the club, which ended the previous season in 11th place.
