New Socceroo Cristian Volpato has had his international driver’s licence suspended for six months after allegedly being caught speeding twice in Sydney and returning a positive roadside drug test for cocaine.

According to NSW Police, Volpato was pulled over twice on the Anzac Bridge between Pyrmont and Glebe Island during the early hours of Friday morning.

Police allege the first stop occurred at around 11pm on Thursday, when the 21-year-old was fined for travelling 20km/h over the bridge’s 60km/h speed limit.

Just two hours later, at approximately 1am, officers allegedly intercepted Volpato again after recording his vehicle travelling at 109km/h along the same stretch of road.

A roadside drug test allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine. According to the police report, Volpato did not admit to consuming drugs before driving.

While no charges have been laid at this stage, police conducted a secondary saliva test, with the sample to undergo further analysis. An accompanying breath alcohol test returned a negative result.

Volpato only recently committed his international future to the Socceroos, having previously declined an approach from Graham Arnold in 2022 while pursuing the possibility of representing Italy through his family heritage. He officially switched his international allegiance in May.

The attacking midfielder made his debut during Australia’s recent international campaign, coming off the bench against the United States before starting matches against Paraguay and Egypt. He finished the tournament with an average Flashscore rating of 6.6.

Volpato is currently on leave from Serie A side Sassuolo, who began their pre-season preparations with a 4-1 friendly victory over Padova last weekend.

Under Football Australia’s Anti-Doping Policy, players and officials who test positive for prohibited substances used recreationally, rather than for performance enhancement, can face suspensions of up to three months.

Should Volpato receive the maximum sporting suspension under those regulations, he would still be eligible for selection for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which is scheduled to begin in Saudi Arabia on January 7.