Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2014. In Australia and throughout the world athletes are placed on a pedestal, often unwittingly, and are held not only to society's highest expectations in terms of performance levels but also to our highest moral standards. No person in this place, or outside, can claim to be perfect—as much as we all like to think we are. Although we all make mistakes, the reasons behind them do not excuse us from their repercussions and nor should they.

The Australian Sports Commission Code of Conduct aims to protect all athletes from competing on an unlevel playing field and provides a mechanism for reviewing and imposing penalties in those instances where conduct within a professional sporting organisation is unbecoming on or off the field.

The Australian government has been proactive in the fight against drugs in sport. In 1990, it established an independent statutory agency, the Australian Sports Drug Agency—ASDA—to deal with drug testing and drug education. However, as ASDA was not empowered to deal with issues relating to possession or trafficking in prohibited substances or methods, in 2006 it was replaced by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, or ASADA, which was given more power to deal with drugs used in sport. In the past two years we have seen Australian society's respect for our athletes and sporting bodies hit its lowest level, with alleged performance enhancing drug scandals with two high-profile sporting clubs hitting the media spotlight. A dark cloud now rests over these teams specifically, but its ripple effect has been felt by all manner of professional sporting organisations, with society now questioning whether this slap in the face to our sporting code is more widespread than those instances currently identified. The concept of fair play is a key foundation of amateur and professional sport in Australia, and any threat to Australia's reputation and integrity, both domestically and internationally, cannot be taken lightly.

By way of background, these instances of alleged drug use and the claim that a much more widespread culture of doping exists to enhance athletes' performances was identified by the Australian Crime Commission in its February 2013 report, Organised crime and drugs in sport. The report was released following a 12-month investigation by the ACC and was supported by ASADA and the Therapeutic Goods Administration. This led to ASADA investigating a team's 2011 squad after an internal investigation found that the players were treated with peptide injections, creams and tablets over an 11-week period. The NRL imposed a $1 million sanction on that club—$400,000 of which was suspended—stood down the coach for 12 months and cancelled the former strength and conditioning coach's registration over the club's part in the supplements' scandal. Most recently, ASADA issued 17 show-cause notices on former and current players, with 12 players accepting a 12-month suspension, backdated to 23 November 2014. This ban was offered by ASADA to recognise that, although prohibited substances were taken, players were misled about the nature of those substances being administered to them.

The NRL and the AFL did, however, have markedly different investigative approaches to their respective drug scandals, with the AFL club self-reporting to ASADA and the AFL, asking the league to investigate concerns about the potential inappropriate use of supplements during the 2012 season. That AFL club was disqualified from the 2013 finals and fined $2 million by the AFL. The coach had a 12-month ban imposed, and his replacement was fined. Formal allegations of possible antidoping rule violations were also reissued to 34 current and former players from that particular team on 17 October, with the AFL Players Association last week confirming that the notices would not be contested.

These investigations have identified serious fractures in our sporting industry's ability to identify antidoping violations and a concern that although these substances are being used by professional athletes, they are being facilitated by sports scientists, coaches and sports staff.

As a former footballer in the WAFL and a former director of junior development for Perth Football Club, I know from firsthand experience that, in sporting environments, various treatments in the form of creams, tablets and injections are used by sports staff to ease pain and assist with muscle recovery and that these treatments are within the scope of approved ASADA substances. Trust is afforded between players, coaches and sporting staff in these cases, and it is unlikely that questions would be asked as to the nature of the substance. Although these scandals may change that assertion and more questions will be, and should be, asked routinely by players and staff in an environment where injuries are common. Quorum formed) The opposition obviously do not want to hear what I am saying on this particular bill, and they will probably continue to call quorums, but that is their choice. I will continue where I left off. As I said before, questions should be asked on a regular basis by players and staff in an environment where injuries are common. I have to say that it is my view that these practices are unlikely to change on a day-to-day basis in the short or long term.

The concept of a supplements program should, however, start to ring some alarm bells. It is important to note that the overwhelming majority of players not only do the right thing and uphold the integrity of their team, and their sporting organisation more generally; they are also great community ambassadors. In Western Australia, players from both the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers often attend Auskick games to inspire and encourage the youth of today, and are actively involved in many charitable organisations that promote health and wellbeing, something that is common amongst AFL teams and the wider sporting industry of Australia.

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