Calls to create doping ombudsman to help protect athletes
Date
April 13, 2013
Adrian Proszenko
Chief Rugby League Reporter
An ombudsman must be set up to protect athletes against the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's conflicts of interest, say Australia's foremost anti-doping researchers.
Martin Hardie, a lecturer in law at Deakin University and Ben Koh, a doctoral researcher of complementary and alternate medicine at the University of Technology, Sydney, are both experts on the World Anti-Doping Agency code and doping issues.
The pair argue that ASADA has a conflict of interest in that it is a source of information on doping issues, while it is also charged with policing potential anti-doping violations. They argue that an athlete advocacy organisation needs to be established to guide athletes through the confusing issues of which substances they should or should not take.
''What sport needs is some kind of ombudsman,'' said Hardie, who is representing a cyclist accused of doping in a case that will be heard in the Federal Court next month.
''On a whole lot of issues, there is nowhere for an athlete to turn to get advice. And not just on whether to take a certain supplement or not.
''I've come across instances where sportspeople have been treated badly by administrators, whether it be doping or not, or received advice they are not happy with. There's nowhere for them to deal with this.'' Koh, a former elite sportsman, pointed to research that showed athletes were reticent to go to ASADA for advice, with a survey showing that coaches (87.85 per cent), GPs (86.53 per cent) and the internet (82.83 per cent) ranked much higher than ASADA (23.34 per cent) as a preferred source of information.
''One problem with ASADA being the information source is that they also police violations,'' Koh said.
''It's like asking the police about the legality of cannabis - once you ask them how much may be legal or illegal you then draw attention to yourself. All of a sudden it's a case of 'Oh, you may want to try something, so we're going to keep an eye on you'.
''Someone needs to look out for the players.''
The NRL has shown a desire to begin a blood passport register, but the pair felt the screening method was problematic for rugby league.
''Does it work as a tool to catch dopers? I say no,'' Hardie said.
''The experience in cycling has been that on one level it's reduced doping, but the guys at the top level just keep their blood values stable so as not to cause any abnormalities which the blood passport may pick up. So they can keep doping but doing it sensibly.
''The blood passport doesn't give you proof of doping like a positive test. All it does is, because there is an abnormality in someone's blood values, show there is a probability that they may have used a method which is probably banned.''
Hardie highlighted the fact there was no uniformity with how ASADA dealt with Australian athletes. For example, it had the power to prosecute cyclists over alleged doping breaches, while any evidence it produced on NRL players would be handed over for the ARLC to rule on. He also felt for the players, saying they had almost no chance under the present system to gain credible advice on what not to take.
''Here am I, supposedly an expert, and I can't work out whether the [substances in question] are banned or not. So how is a footballer going to work it out?'' he said.
