THE AFL illicit drugs policy was in crisis last night as confidential medical records identifying two players who had tested positive to illegal drugs were sold to a commercial television station.

The documents contain explosive claims against two players from the same club and became the subject of a legal injunction last night, taken out by the doctor who is treating the two men.

The documents also contain claims that other players at the club regularly use drugs.

The legal action came too late to stop Channel Seven airing the allegations as part of its news bulletin. The report did not identify the players but did disclose their club, as well as details about the frequency and nature of their drug use.

The club was scrambling last night to try to learn the names of the players from the AFL, damaged by the public leak of information that senior club officials were not entitled to be told.

Under the AFL's controversial three-strikes illicit drug policy, clubs cannot be told of a player's drug use until he has returned a third positive test. That system — attacked by the Federal Government as too lenient in recent months — was in crisis last night.

The documents, which were paid for by Channel Seven, appear to be medical records of two players, referred to Ivanhoe's Victorian Addiction Centre by the clubs.

Under the three-strikes policy, after the second positive test, a club doctor is told.

The chief executive of the club involved reportedly had said he was not aware of the positive test.

Several officials from clubs have been vocal opponents of the AFL's policy.

Lawyers acting for the doctor treating the players — Professor Gregory Whelan — sought and obtained an injunction last night, preventing publication of the players' names or the club they represent. During its news program, Channel Seven said it had decided not to identify either player at the present time but was "continuing our investigations".

A woman interviewed as part of the Seven report claimed she found the papers in the gutter outside the Ivanhoe facility and could not return them because a gate to the centre was locked.

"I was just walking down the street when I saw some papers floating. I thought I'd pick them up and put them in the bin … I had a look and I recognised the names," said the woman, whose identity was obscured by the network. "I thought it was a shame I'd found them in the street."

Instead, she said, she sold the records to Channel Seven because she thought it would help the players involved. The Age understands the claim that the papers were found in the gutter is disputed. The centre's management said last night that it had no comment.

Last year, several media organisation were refused permission to name three players who had tested positive twice to illicit drugs under the AFL regime.

The three strikes policy has been attacked by the Federal Government this year as being excessively lenient. Sport Minister George Brandis has argued that the AFL policy sends the wrong message because players are not punished after returning a single positive test.