article on drug tests in sports

Push for sport drug testing
Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Annabel Stafford
October 6, 2007


SPORTING organisations will get funding to help them implement tough testing regimes to detect illicit drug use, The Age believes.

Sports Minister George Brandis and the minister responsible for illicit drugs policy, Christopher Pyne, are today expected to announce a policy on illicit drug use in Melbourne.

It comes after months of wrangling between the Government and the AFL over the league's drugs policy, under which players face sanctions only on their third offence.

The Government has accused the AFL of undermining the "zero-tolerance" drugs message.

It also comes after the drug scandals of Ben Cousins and Andrew Johns and amid speculation over the role of illicit drugs in the death of former AFL player Chris Mainwaring.

The Age believes the Government will today ask all major sporting organisations to adopt an out-of-season testing policy.

Under the policy a player would face a suspended fine or a suspended disqualification from playing on a first offence, The Age believes. On a second, the player would be named and slapped with the suspended penalty. On a third, they could face disqualification for life.

The Government cannot force out-of-season testing but The Age believes it will offer sporting codes financial support to do so.