Collingwood CEO Gary Pert said he was “devastated” when told on Friday Lachlan Keeffe and Josh Thomas had tested positive for Clenbuterol.

News broke on Monday afternoon the Magpies players had returned a positive drug test, and they are now waiting for the results of the B sample, which are expected on April 14.

“I got a call on Friday morning,” Pert said.

• Collingwood players test positive for banned drug 
• Essendon saga exposes big flaws in footy media
• The three men who will decide the future of footy
• Fire and ice: Kerr and Cousins need to find their way 

“To take that call from someone from ASADA and they started off with what the charges were.

“Then when I found out who the two players were I must admit I was pretty devastated because we’re actually talking about two of the highest-quality young men as part of our program.”

The drug is banned under the World Anti-Doping Agency Code and helps build muscle and burn fat.

It was a positive test for Clenbuterol that cost Alberto Contador his 2010 Tour de France win.

The Pies chief was flanked by football director Neil Balme at a press conference at the Westpac Centre, and he said the pair was adamant they didn’t know how the substance got in their system.

“It was disbelief off both of them,” Balme said.

“They both said ‘we haven’t done this’. Now who knows how it all happened?

“We know no more than that.”

Pert said the news had hit Keeffe and Thomas for six.

“They looked close to being in shock on Friday,” he said.

“You’ve got to keep in mind these are two young men that were at home and had ASADA knock on their door.

“Both Neil and myself spoke to them shortly after and they only way I could describe it was quite shell-shocked.”

Both Keeffe and Thomas have sought independent legal advice through the AFL Players’ Association, a move the club supports.

Pert said Collingwood has audited its nutrition program and is completely satisfied the positive result is in no way connected to it.

Former Pies skipper Nick Maxwell, speaking on radio station SEN, said there was no supplement program in place at Collingwood.

“(Collingwood fitness chief) Bill Davoren’s more about nutrition,” Maxwell said.

“There’s a locked cupboard down there just to get your hands on some Musashi protein.

“If it’s proven, and there are no other explanations, they’re done. It’s a two-year ban.

“It’s shocked me, it’s flattened me. They’re two quality kids. I find it really hard to comprehend that they’re in this situation.

“There must be some sort of other explanation because I just can’t comprehend how it’s happened.”

Pert said the issue was a big blow for Collingwood on the eve of the 2015 season.

“It’s not ideal, pretty well every aspect, just to be dealing with it,” Pert said.

“We’ll have to ring our sponsors and talk this through with them.”