The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will consider re-introducing its ban on caffeine in sport in the wake of the Ben Cousins health scare.

WADA president John Fahey has told The Age newspaper the use of caffeine is against the spirit of sport and revelations of widespread use of caffeine for a game-day buzz followed by post-match sleeping pills in AFL circles lowers the game's standing.

"In my view it brings the game somewhat into disrepute because there are substances there that have an unknown quality to them and unknown consequences," Fahey said.

Cousins, a recovering drug addict, spent Monday night in intensive care in Melbourne's Epworth Hospital after the Richmond star had an adverse reaction to prescribed sleeping pills following Sunday's match.

The use of caffeine and sleeping pills is legal under Australian law and is not banned by WADA.

A ban of caffeine use was lifted six years ago.

But Mr Fahey, the former NSW premier and Howard government finance minister, said he would ask WADA's medical committee to consider the possibility of re-banning caffeine use when the committee meets in September.

"Having been taken back off the banned list, it can be put back on," Mr Fahey said.

"It will be looked at again in light of what's occurring at the moment."

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