This article identifies the ‘ultra-competitive’ and hyper-masculine’ environment of the AFL competition. They describe a place where high risk behavior is lauded and the rewards for winning are great which makes ideal conditions to encourage players to use drugs. The large number of medical, fitness and coaching staff and the expanding range of new drugs which can improve performance has intensified this tendency. Against this background the authors ask how prevalent drug use is in the AFL and what the AFL can do to combat it.