Drugs in sport in Australia

Australia has been at the forefront in the fight against doping in sport. It was one of the first countries to establish a sports anti-doping agency and is a member of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Australia abides by World Anti-Doping Code. In 2010, Australian John Fahey was re-elected as President of WADA for a second and final three-year term which finished at the end of 2013.[1] Australia like other major countries has been embroiled in major doping in sport controversies and issues.

Administration

As a result of the Senate Drugs in Sport Inquiry held 1989–1990, the Australian Government established the Australian Sports Drug Agency through the Australian Sports Drug Agency Act 1990. On 14 March 2006, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) replaced the Australian Sports Drug Agency. Besides education and testing, ASADA was given increased powers to conduct investigations, present cases at sporting tribunals, recommend sanctions, and approve and monitor sporting organisations' anti-doping policies. In June 2013, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2013 provided ASADA with increased investigation powers. The Bill provided ASADA the right to compel those it believes that have knowledge about doping practice or a specific doping violation to attend an interview and to produce related documents. Failure to cooperate will lead to civil penalties.[2][3]

Australia has a National Anti-Doping Framework that aligns domestic anti-doping efforts in Australia through a set of agreed principles, alongside clearly identified areas for co-operation between the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments.[4] Members of the Framework are Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, Australian Sports Commission, State and Territory Governments, national sports organisations, state sporting organisations and professional associations. Other Australian Government agencies that play a role in the Framework include National Measurement Institute, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Federal Police and Australian Crime Commission.[4]

ASADA plays a prominent role in the development of the World Anti-Doping Code[5]

Testing

Royal Brisbane Sports Drug Testing Laboratory was accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for testing between 1982 and 1987.[6] It ceased testing in 1987 after it failed IOC biennial reaccreditation.[6] It was replaced by the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories[6] now called Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory which is a section of the National Measurement Institute. In 2011/12, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority conducted 3,996 government‑funded tests across 45 sports and 3,200 user‑pays tests for Australian sporting bodies and other organisations.[5]

Research

The Australian Government allocates funding for scientific and social science anti-doping research through the Anti-Doping Research Program (ADRP).[7] ADRP is funded under the Australian Government's Sport Anti-Doping Program, which also supports Australia's international anti-doping commitments to the WADA and UNESCO. Research into sports doping issues is also undertaken by a range of Australian universities and research findings are published in academic journals and The Conversation website. Science and Industry Against Blood Doping (SIAB) located on the Gold Coast, Queensland is a leader in blood doping research.[8]

Chronology of doping

Chronological listing of major sports doping events and issues in Australian sport. Listing excludes horse racing, harness racing and greyhound racing and does not include individual doping violations.

1977 - Graham Olling, a Parramatta Eels player, admitted to taking a course of anabolic steroids under medical supervision. It was one of the first cases on an Australian athlete admitting to drug use.[9]
1982 – Australian Sports Medicine Federation (ASMF) published the Survey of Drug Use in Australian sport. The three-year survey found that 5 per cent of Australian athletes were major drug users.[10][11]
1985 – in response to the ASMF Survey, the Australian Government established the National Program on Drugs in Sport under the Australian Sports Commission.[12]
1986 - Australian athletics team manager Maurie Plant at a track and field meeting in Belfast in 1986, asked heptathlete Jane Flemming to provide a substitute urine sample for the javelin thrower Sue Howland, fearing Howland would test positive to an anabolic steroid.[13]
1987 – 30 November – Australian Broadcasting Corporation Four Corners program The Winning Edge discussed the anabolic steroids in health clubs and raised concerns about allegations by Gael Martin and Sue Howland, two former Australian Institute of Sport athletes.[14]
1988 – 19 May – Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Recreation and the Arts established an inquiry on the based on issues arises from the Four Corner's program. The Inquiry examined "the use by Australian sportsmen and sportswomen of performances enhancing drugs and the role played by Commonwealth agencies".[6] Senator John Black was appointed chairman and Senator Noel Crichton-Browne Deputy Chairman of the Inquiry. The Inquiry examined doping allegations relating to track and field and weightlifting at the AIS, powerlifting and professional sports.[6][9] Two extensive reports were published. The Inquiry was covered heavily by the media.
1988 - Alex Watson, an Australian modern pentathlete, was disqualified and sent home from the 1988 Seoul Olympics after excessive caffeine levels. His ban led to an Australian Parliament Inquiry into the handling of the incident. Watson had his suspension reduced to two years and competed at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.[15]
1990 – Australian Sports Drug Agency was established. This organisation was a major outcome of the Senate Inquiry and its objectives were to deter the use of banned doping practices in sport through education, testing, advocacy services, and co-ordination of Australia's anti-doping program.[16]
1999 - Australian Sports Commission and ASDA initiated a nationwide drug education and enforcement program through the Tough-on-Drugs-in-Sport policy. This policy was in the wake of the 1998 Tour de France doping scandal.[17]
2000 – August – AIS and Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory developed blood test to detect the banned drug erythropoietin (EPO). The IOC approved the test to be used at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in conjunction with a French urine test.[18]
2004 - Australian Sports Commission (ASC) became World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code) compliant on 1 August 2004. As a result, all ASC funded and recognised national sporting organisations were required to have an ASC compliant anti doping policy by 1 January 2005. The WADA Code included illicit/recreational drugs such as marijuana and cocaine.[19] In 2005, the Australian Football League (AFL') was in dispute with the Australian Government over the AFL’s sanctions for illicit/recreational drug use. The AFL preferred a harm minimization rather than a punitive approach.[17]
2004 – Australian Sports Commission and Cycling Australia appointed Justice Robert Anderson to investigate doping allegations concerning the AIS track cycling team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Mark French was banned for two years but in July 2005 the ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport due to lack of evidence.[14][20]
2006 – Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) replaced the Australian Sports Drug Agency. Besides education and testing, ASADA was given increased powers to conduct investigations, present cases at sporting tribunals, recommend sanctions, and approve and monitor sporting organisations' anti-doping policies.[16]
2007 – 6 October – Australian Government launched its Tough on Drugs illicit drugs in sport policy which provided a voluntary regime for out-of-competition testing for illicit drugs.[21][22] This policy has generated a great deal of commentary particularly related Australian Football League's three strikes policy.[23]
2012 – October – Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority instigated an investigation into Australian cycling in light of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s investigation into the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team and Lance Armstrong.[24] The investigation lead to Matthew White[25] and Stephen Hodge[26] to admitting to doping during their careers.

Despite being prohibited substances in professional sport, peptides and hormones are being used by professional athletes in Australia, facilitated by sports scientists, high performance coaches and sports staff.

Key Findings in Organised Crime And Drugs In Sport, 2013.[27]

2013 – February - Australian Crime Commission released report titled Organised Crime And Drugs In Sport.[27] The investigation identified widespread use of prohibited substances including peptides, hormones and illicit drugs in professional sport that was facilitated by sports scientists, high-performance coaches and sports staff. Essendon Football Club[28] from the Australian Football League and six National Rugby League[29] Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sutherland Sharks, Newcastle Knights, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, North Queensland Cowboys, Penrith Panthers teams were implicated after of the report. ASADA is currently investigating possible doping violations from the report.
2013 – 11 February – Australian Olympic Committee required Australian athletes to sign statutory declarations saying they have no history of doping in sport. There will be penalty of up to five years imprisonment for those providing false declarations.[30]
2013 - June - Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2013 was passed and its main aim is to compel persons of interest to assist ASADA’s investigations.[3] The Australian Greens Party's amendments resulted in interviewees having the right to remain silient and to be accompanied by a lawyer during interviews.[31]
2013 - August - Essendon Football Club supplements controversy. The Australian Football League (AFL) severely penalised the Essendon Football Club after Australian Sports Anti Doping Authority (ASADA) and AFL joint investigation found issues with its supplements program. The AFL found that Essendon had brought the AFL into disrepute and handed down severe penalties - $2 million fine, suspension from the 2013 finals series, removal of first round drafts picks and penalties to Essendon football department officials including the one-year suspension to Head Coach James Hird.[32] Sandor Earl, National Rugby League player, became the first athlete issued with an infraction notice as a result of the ACC report.[33]
2013 - December - Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks supplements saga. The NRL announced a series of penalties upon the club, which included the 12-month suspension of Shane Flanagan as head coach, a $1,000,000 fine (with $400,000 suspended) and the deregistration of Trent Elkin as the club's trainer.[34]
2014 - November - Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2014 was passed. This amendment ensured that Australia’s anti-doping legislation was aligned with the revised World Anti-Doping Code that will come into force on 1 January 2015. There was a Senate Inquiry into the legislation that focused on ASADA working more closely with police and intelligence agencies, banning athletes from working with sports professionals involved in doping and increasing first offence bans from two to four years. Australian Athletes' Alliance representing professional athletes argued against the changes.[35]
2015 - March The AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal announces that all 34 past and present Essendon players were found not guilty of using a banned supplement.[36] In April, ASADA announces that it will not appeal the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal's ruling finding all 34 past and present Essednon players not guilty.[37] In May, WADA announces it will appeal the tribunal's not guilty decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[38]
2015 - August - Collingwood Football Club players Josh Thomas and Lachlan Keeffe accepted two year doping bans for taking clenbuterol. Players were each fined $50,000 and delisted. The players admitted that clenbuterol probably entered their body whilst taking illicit drugs.[39] This case brought into question the AFL's illicit drugs policy based on harm minimization.[40]
2016 - January - Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found in WADA's favour and overturned the not-guilty verdict in the Essendon Football Club supplements controversy.[41] The thirty-four Essendon players were suspended for two years backdated to 31 March 2015; including time served in provisional suspensions during the 2014/15 offseason, this will bring the suspensions for almost all of the players to an end in November 2016.[42] In October, the Swiss Federal Tribunal dismissed the Essendon players appeal against the CAS decision made in January.[43]

Doping cases

Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority website lists Australian athletes with doping violations. Australian sportspeople in doping cases lists prominent Australian athletes involved in doping cases. Athletes competing in Olympics sports found guilty of taking performance-enhancing drugs include Nathan Baggaley (canoeing), Gael Martin (athletics) and Martin Vinnicombe (cycling) and professional sports Rodney Howe (rugby league), Reni Maitua (rugby league) and Justin Charles (AFL). High profile professional athletes Andrew Johns[44] (rugby league) and Ben Cousins (AFL)[45] have admitted to the use of illicit drugs during their playing careers.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Aussie Fahey elected WADA Head". Herald Sun. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  2. ↑ Lane, Samantha (7 February 2013). "New bill will bolster anti-doping body". Canberra Times. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Important New Anti-Doping Powers for ASADA Pass through Parliament". Senator Kate Lundy website, 27 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  4. 1 2 "National Anti-Doping Framework February 2011" (PDF). Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport website. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  5. 1 2 Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Annual Report 2011-2012 (PDF). The Authority.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Drugs in sport : an interim report of the Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Recreation and the Arts. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. 1989. ISBN 0644095717.
  7. ↑ "Anti-Doping Research Program". Department of the Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport website. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  8. ↑ Kogoy, Peter (4 April 2012). "Doping expert Michael Ashenden quits project over 'gag'". The Australian. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  9. 1 2 Drugs in sport : second report to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Recreation and the Arts. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. 1990. ISBN 0644117575.
  10. ↑ Donald, Ken (1983). The Doping Game. Brisbane: Boolarong. pp. 4–5. ISBN 0908175736.
  11. ↑ Blackman, Graeme (1983). Survey of Drug Use in Australian Sport. Melbourne: Australian Sports Medicine Federation.
  12. ↑ Oxford Companion to Australian sport. 2nd ed. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 1994. ISBN 0195535685.
  13. ↑ Australian Parliament Senate Committee, "Jane Flemming asked to provide a substitute urine sample for Sue Howland", The Black Report page 22, May1989
  14. 1 2 Stewart, Bob (May 2007). "Drugs in Australian sport : a brief history". Sporting Traditions. 23 (2): 65–78.
  15. ↑ Coomber, John. "Australia's not so golden Olympic moments". The Roar, 8 July 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  16. 1 2 Australian Sports Drug Agency – Annual report 1990-1991 (PDF). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. 1991.
  17. 1 2 McDermott, Vanessa. "Legitimating the Fight against Drugs in Sport: The Australian" (PDF). The Australian Sociological Association Website. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  18. ↑ "IOC Medical Commission recommends EPO test for Sydney 2000". Australian Sports Commission Media Release, 2 August 2000. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  19. ↑ Broughton, Joanthon. "Testing the boundaries" (PDF). Mullins Lawyers website. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  20. ↑ "French ban overturned on appeal". BBC News, 12 July 2005. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  21. ↑ Stewart, Bob. "Bitter pill: have drug bans in Australian sport gone too far?". The Conversation, 7 November 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  22. ↑ "Tough on drugs in sport – combating illicit drugs". Minister for the Arts and Sport Media Release, 6 October 20007. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  23. ↑ McNicol, Adam. "Three strike policy to remain". AFL News, 30 January 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  24. ↑ "Cycling: ASADA to investigate White's doping admission". Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  25. ↑ Sygall, David (14 October 2012). "White admits doping role". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  26. ↑ Dutton, Chris (19 October 2012). "Hodge doping scandal shocks cycling community". Canberra Times. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  27. 1 2 Organised crime and drugs in sport (PDF). Canberra: Australian Crime Commission. 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  28. ↑ Savaldo, John (10 February 2013). "Essendon and one other AFL club named". The Age. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  29. ↑ "Six Australian rugby league clubs in drugs probe". SBS News. 12 February 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  30. ↑ Habashy, Angela (12 February 2012). "AOC introduces stat decs for doping". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  31. ↑ Ashton, Heath (26 June 2013). "Doping interviews to ramp up as Senate grants coercive powers". Illawarra Mer5cury. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  32. ↑ "Bombers kicked out of finals, fined $2m and stripped of draft picks". AFL News. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  33. ↑ "Sandor Earl suspended by NRL for drug use and trafficking as part of ASADA probe". Australian Broadcasting Corporation News. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  34. ↑ Rothfield, Phil (17 December 2013). "NRL hits Cronulla Sharks with $1m fine, year ban for coach Shane Flanagan, indefinite ban for trainer Trent Elkin". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  35. ↑ "Parliament approves anti-doping code to align with world authority". Australian Olympic Committee News, 17 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  36. ↑ Chalkley-Rhoden, Stephanie (31 March 2015). "Essendon ASADA investigation: Players not guilty of using banned peptide, AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal finds". ABC News. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  37. ↑ "ASADA will not appeal AFL anti-doping tribunal's decision on Essendon supplements saga". ABC News. 10 August 2015.
  38. ↑ "Statement on AFL cases". World Anti-Doping Agency. 10 August 2015.
  39. ↑ Cherny, Daniel (10 August 2015). "Josh Thomas and Lachlan Keeffe accept two-year drug ban". The Age. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  40. ↑ Ryan, Peter. "All will learn from Keeffe and Thomas' harsh lesson". AFL News, 10 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  41. ↑ Travis King (12 January 2016). "Guilty: court bans the Essendon 34 for 2016". Australian Football League. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  42. ↑ "Essendon drug scandal: CAS verdict on Bombers live coverage". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  43. ↑ "Essendon players lose Swiss court appeal over supplement bans; Jobe Watson could lose 2012 Brownlow". ABC News. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  44. ↑ McClymont, Kate (1 September 2007). "Johns was an accident waiting to happen". The Age. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  45. ↑ "Cousins comes clean on drug binges". ABC News, 26 August 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
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