Cristian Volpato, a 22-year-old Australian World Cup star, has allegedly tested positive for cocaine while driving after being stopped by police in Sydney. The midfielder was reportedly pulled over twice for speeding.
Details of the incident
According to New South Wales police, Volpato was first stopped in his BMW Coupe at around 11pm for speeding. He was allegedly driving at 86-94 km/h in a 60 km/h zone. A roadside breath test is said to have come back negative.
Two hours later, he was pulled over again for driving at 109 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on the Anzac Bridge. A roadside drug test was carried out and allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine. A second saliva test was taken for additional testing.
Penalties and response
Volpato received a speeding penalty and reportedly had his international driving licence suspended for six months, prohibiting him from driving in New South Wales. He has not faced criminal charges, and police have confirmed their investigations will continue.
In a statement reported by Australian broadcaster ABC, Football Australia confirmed it "was aware of the allegations involving one of our players." They added: "We have been in contact with the player and continue to monitor the matter and support the player throughout this process."
World Cup involvement
Volpato made three appearances for Australia during their World Cup campaign. He was an unused substitute in the opening match against Turkey and took part in the remaining two group fixtures against the USA and Paraguay, as well as the round of 32 penalty shootout defeat to Egypt.
He changed his international allegiance to Australia in May, having previously represented Italy at youth level. His sole appearance for Australia before the World Cup came in a friendly against Switzerland in June.
Volpato was born and raised in Sydney but relocated to Italy in 2020 to join Roma's youth academy. He transferred to Serie A side Sassuolo in 2023, featuring in 26 matches across all competitions during the previous campaign.
