AFL figures reveal huge rise in positive illicit drug tests AFL players now have only one chance to admit to drug use without registering a strike after it was revealed more than 20 players had used the self-reporting loophole last year. The AFL yesterday revealed 26 players tested positive to illicit substances in 2012, a sharp rise from six the previous year. AFL medical director Dr Peter Harcourt said a "similar number" of players had also self-reported. TEAMS: See the Round 8 line-ups here A tightening of the controversial self-reporting loophole is one of the amendments to the AFL's illicit drugs policy proposed by the game's working party into illicit drugs. A player will now be permitted to self-report illicit drug use only once during his career. Previously there was no limit to how many times a player could self-report drug use to AFL medical officers and escape a strike. AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said self-reporting remained an integral part of the policy, saying it had helped "save lives." Despite revealing a "similar number" of self-reporting cases, Harcourt denied players had been abusing the clause. "There has been a lot of discussion about the abuse of notification and self-reporting and I don't see it," Harcourt said. I have had a couple of instances where I had individuals who I thought were in that situation, but the bulk of players make a stupid mistake and then realise they have made a silly mistake. Demetriou has staunchly defended the league's illicit drugs code, despite a 333 per cent increase in the number of positive tests. MORE: How the AFL illicit drugs policy works It was also revealed yesterday: TWO players recorded their second strike last year. COCAINE was the drug to which most players tested positive. THERE was an "even spread" of positive tests across the competition. THERE have been no positive tests so far this year. The AFL carried out 490 more tests in 2012 - 1979, up from 1489 - and the percentage of failed tests increased from 0.4 per cent in 2011 to 1.31 per cent. The failed test percentage is the worst since the first two years of testing, 2005 and 2006. Demetriou and AFL Players' Association chief executive Matt Finnis both described the test results as disappointing. "It's not devastating," he said. It's in keeping with what our expectation was, particularly post our briefings with the Victoria Police and the Australian Crime Commission. Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert, who prompted a summit into player welfare this year after he warned of players' "volcanic" off-season behaviour, viewed the 26 positive tests as a step forward. They are obviously being done at the right times. We are picking up the players," Pert said. This is an opportunity for us to do something about it. I would see it as a real negative when we started getting zeroes or ones or twos because then we're not getting the chance to interact and identify some broader issues. Other changes to the illicit drugs policy include clubs being able to request target testing, an increase in target testing and an increase in off-season hair testing.