Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I think it is very important for senators to understand that there are actually no criminal sanctions for doping violations in Australia. Also there is actually no provision within the government legislation for the sanctioning of athletes for antidoping rule violations. These sanctions are determined, as many people would be aware, by the sporting organisations themselves, imposed by the relevant national organisation in line with the provisions of the code. Those sanctions of course range from periods of ineligibility for sport to disqualification of results and the loss of prize money. Any criminality associated with the supply or use of performance- or image-enhancing drugs is a matter for the relevant law enforcement agencies, and I think it is very important that we draw the distinction between those two matters.