‘Shock new detail casts doubt’ on whether footy star Josh Addo-Carr’s roadside cocaine drug test was actually random

Josh Addo-Carr is being investigated by New South Wales police after the Bulldogs winger allegedly failed a roadside drug test for cocaine. However, one detail suggests officers may not have pulled him over without good reason.

The fallout from Addo-Carr’s alleged positive cocaine test on Tuesday continued as the winger withdrew from training and the squad list for Sunday.

The 29-year-old told Bulldogs officials he was adamant he had not taken cocaine prior to last week’s test, and could not explain the positive test result.

Addo-Carr was in attendance with the Bulldogs coaches and other injured players at South Sydney’s match against the Sydney Roosters at Accor Stadium on Friday night.

During the break, he decided to leave. He got into a borrowed blue Toyota hatchback and left the police station.

The soccer star told club officials that he had gone to an Ezymart supermarket to buy a phone charger.

At 10.45pm Addo-Carr was pulled over by police for a ‘random’ roadside drug test, but a source has told the Sydney Morning Herald that the car Addo-Carr was driving was ‘registered to an owner who had previously committed offences’.

The drama came at the worst possible time for the Bulldogs, who are preparing to play in their first final in six years.

Canterbury chief executive Phil Gould would not comment on whether Addo-Carr would be able to return if the Bulldogs progress to the semi-finals.

“I’ll answer that question next week,” Gould said of Addo-Carr’s long-term availability.

Bulldogs GM Phil Gould says Josh Addo-Carr ‘did not intentionally lie’ about his roadside drug test. (Scott Bailey)

The veteran coach and administrator said Addo-Carr decided to step down on Tuesday morning after explaining to the winger that his case was likely to cause a media frenzy and distraction.

“Josh is angry, he’s very angry. It’s very frustrating for him because he believes in his heart that he’s done nothing wrong,” Gould said at a news conference in Belmore.

He strongly denies using drugs.

‘We accept Josh’s belief that he is innocent and we will support him throughout the trial.

“Josh has done something noble for the team… so he’s not a distraction this week, which of course he would have been.”

Addo-Carr also returned a negative urine test on Tuesday after contacting a club doctor to undergo voluntary testing.

“How much weight that carries, I don’t know,” Gould said.

“If he had this substance before the weekend, he would have gotten rid of it anyway. It won’t carry any weight legally for him.”

Addo-Carr was stopped on Friday evening while driving in the Sydney suburb of Wentworth Point and is said to have tested positive.

He was then tested a second time, with the sample sent off for further analysis. Canterbury expects it could take up to 10 weeks for the second sample to be returned.

On Saturday morning, Addo-Carr told Bulldogs officials that the initial test was inconclusive but he was cleared to ride again after the test.

Gould admitted that Addo-Carr did not deliberately mislead the club.

However, on Tuesday he indicated it was possible Addo-Carr would play this weekend if he had been clearer about the details on Saturday morning.

“Under CBA rules, we have no grounds to suspend him, and neither does the league until the final sample is positive,” Gould said.

‘Keeping that in mind, there is no reason for us to leave him there and follow normal procedure.

“Did he lie to us? I’m sure Josh thought we’d never hear about this.

“So he probably didn’t tell me the whole truth about the first positive or what it said. He attributed that to it not being conclusive.

“So he didn’t handle that part very well. But do I think he lied on purpose to mislead me? No. That’s Josh.”

Gould suggested that if Addo-Carr’s second sample were to come back positive, his future at the club would be in the spotlight.

“There are sanctions and precedents for that,” Gould said.

‘If the test was positive, Josh would have to explain how it got into his body.

“Because he is adamant, and I mean adamant, that he did not take the drugs.”

The Bulldogs appointed Jeral Skelton to replace Addo-Carr on Tuesday, with players insisting the saga would not serve as a distraction.

“I’m very confident that won’t happen,” said captain Stephen Crichton.

“The club takes care of it. The players can focus on what is important, and it is very important to prepare well.”