MP Andrew Wilkie uses parliamentary privilege to accuse ...

The AFL says it is "unapologetic" about its illicit drugs policy amid claims by a federal MP that Melbourne Football Club conducted off-the-books drug testing of players to help them avoid failing tests on match days.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie used parliamentary privilege to make accusations of serious misconduct against the AFL and the Melbourne Demons. 

In federal parliament last night, Andrew Wilkie said the allegations were provided by former Melbourne football club president Glen Bartlett, former Melbourne football club doctor Zeeshan Arain and Shaun Smith, father of Melbourne player and now alleged drug trafficker Joel Smith.

Mr Wilkie aired allegations of prevalent drug abuse in the AFL and off-the-books drug testing of players at Dorevitch Pathology in Heidelberg, which he said was "facilitated by the former chief medical officer of the AFL, Peter Harcourt".

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says the allegations were described to him by a whistleblower involved with the club.(ABC News: Nick Haggarty)

Mr Wilkie said that players testing positive for illicit drugs were often asked to fake injuries to cover up their result.

"They are advised to lie about their condition, while the results of the off-the-book tests are kept secret and never shared with Sports Integrity Australia or WADA," he said.

"In other words, hundreds of thousands of Australians will watch the game not knowing that the game has been secretly manipulated by the AFL.

"Thousands of Australians will also bet on that game not knowing that the game has been secretly manipulated by the AFL."

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon did not refute Mr Wilkie's claims, but said testing for illicit drugs by club doctors had been part of the AFL's illicit drugs policy since 2005.

"What we have is testing under the clinical intervention model done by the doctors," he said.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon says doctor-patient confidentially is paramount.(AAP Image: Joel Carrett)

Mr Dillon did not directly address claims made by Mr Wilkie that players who had tested positive faked injuries to cover up test results.

"The private medical information of the players is private medical information and that's what we prioritise above anything else," he said.

"If there's a chance that they may have something in their system, we don't want them training and we don't them taking part in matches for their health and welfare above anything else."

The AFL is reviewing its illicit drugs policy and hopes to have a new model in place by the end of the year.

Mr Dillon denied that there was an illicit drug problem in the sport.

"No, not at all. I've said a number of times, it's a societal issue and that's why we have an illicit drugs policy in place but it's founded on player health and welfare," he said.

"Also what we're talking about here is a small handful of players over a year."

Melbourne Football Club coach Simon Goodwin said he had no knowledge of any such behaviour at the club.

"It's news to me. I think it's a surprise to everyone in the industry because there's no line of sight for me as a head coach," he said.

"I think it's a question you'll have to ask the AFL, about what the policy looks like moving forward.

"I've got enormous trust in our doctor in terms of them being able to do their job so I'm not going to question how they go about their business."

The AFL has a contract with Dorevitch Pathology to conduct illicit drug testing of its players.(Supplied: Kennington Village)

Dr Arain was sacked by the club in 2020, after media reports claiming he had raised concerns about the club's culture.

Mr Bartlett stood down as club president in 2021, and has launched legal action against the club in the Federal Court of Australia.

In his speech, Mr Wilkie claimed Mr Bartlett "was dumped by the AFL just eight weeks after a meeting with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and AFL chair Richard Goyder where he suggested mandatory drug testing for AFL executives".

Mr Wilkie called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to study the documents provided to him and to "do everything he can to restore and protect the reputation of our beloved game".

Mr Wilkie alleged he was told the problem was widespread in the sport.

"Dr Arain also explains, this isn't just a Melbourne problem; it's an AFL problem, with multiple players coming to Melbourne from other teams with pre-existing cocaine dependencies, more than suggesting that drug testing workarounds are in fact commonplace elsewhere in the AFL," he said.

"The documents in my possession also indicate a shocking unwillingness by senior AFL executives to address drug abuse by players and executives, particularly in relation to cocaine usage."

The former president and club doctor are among those making allegations of serious misconduct at the Melbourne Demons.(ABC News: Tom Maddocks)

Under current AFL rules, players caught using illicit drugs are subject to a three-strike system.

On the first detection, a player will receive a $5,000 fine while also undergoing counselling and target testing.

Following the second strike, a player's name is made public and they serve a four-match suspension.

A third strike incurs a 12-match suspension.