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Saturday May 25, 2013

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Widespread use of prohibited subtances in Australian sport

Posted by: Michael James & Ned Franklin | 7 February, 2013 - 10:32 AM
Drugs generic

AFL Chief Executive Andrew Demetriou has revealed that specific allegations have been made against at least one AFL Club as a result of the Australian Crime Commission investigation.

Mr Demetriou has told Neil Mitchell that confidentially agreements prevent him from disclosing which club or clubs are implicated.

"We have been given broad information that would lead us to believe that we have to work with ASADA to investigate some of these broad informations that we have received," Mr Demetriou told Neil Mitchell.

"We have got specific allegations but I can't go into detail without breaching the confidentially about clubs (and) people" he said.

On Thursday, the Australian Crime Commission released the results of their 12-month investigation which found wide spread use of prohibited substances in Australian professional sport.

PLAY: Executive Director of the ACC Paul Jevtovic

PLAY: CEO of ASADA Aurora Andruska

WATCH: Andrew Demetriou speaks with Neil Mitchell

The AFL have already introduced new rules for all clubs who will now have to inform the league about every substance or drug their players are taking.

"It’s an unbelievably bad day but I think potentially there is also a lot of positives in that we really understand the threats," AFL deputy chief executive Gil McLachlan told Ross and John.

"We thought we knew them. We had an integrity division, we had an illicit drugs policy, we had a gambling code of conduct, but I don’t think we quite understood the scale or the reach" he said.

"It's highly likely there is a problem, we don't know if there is, but what we need to do is take decisive action now" 

The Fremantle Dockers are the latest club in the spotlight with revelations in the Age one of their suppliers during 2007 and 2008 has been prosecuted and fined over $3-million dollars for unlawfully importing unregistered substance.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has called on the authorities to name the codes, teams and players that have been implicated.

"The key thing now is to establish the facts. Which players, which clubs? Because I'm a bit concerned about every person out there who we've all watched, admired, spoken with in changing rooms, everything else, (are) now walking around with a total cloud over their head" he told Sunrise on Channel 7.

PLAY: AFL deputy chief Gil McLachlan speaks with Ross and John

PLAY: Sly of the Underworld discusses the criminal element to the allegations

PLAY: Senator Kate Lundy, Federal Minister for Sport with Tom Elliott

Yesterday Home Affairs minister Jason Clare told a press conference in Canberra the findings of the ACC investigation are 'shocking and will disgust Australian sports fans.'

The Minister encouraged anyone who is involved to come forward 'before you get a knock at the door.''

"It's cheating but it's worse than that. It's cheating with the help of criminals,'' he said.

The Crime Commissioner has referred the findings of suspected criminal activity to State and Federal police and say the results will be released once all the investigations have been carried out.

The President of the World Anti-Doping Agency John Fahey told Neil Mitchell the results of the investigations come as a shock.

"This is extraordinary and it's alarming. This report is about our sport. A country that prides itself on sport in perhaps being addicted to sport more than any other nation on Earth," he told Neil Mitchell.

"All of a sudden we are told that there is wide spread use of illicit drugs, of performance enhancing drugs in professional sport and very strong links organised crime.

"I mean this is just a shock to say the least," he said.

LISTEN: WADA President John Fahey speaks with Neil Mitchell

 

LISTEN: Francis Keany speaks with Neil Mitchell

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Essendon linked to drug dealer

Essendon Bombers 3AW FOOTBALL: The Essendon Supplement scandal deepens today with reports a convicted drug trafficker supplied the Club's sports scientist with supplements that are now in question.

 

Blog comments Your Say

  • Who cares! This is yet another bit of fluff thrown out there by our Federal Muppets to take our attention away from the mess which is Labor's disastrous government.

    Milton Monday 11 February, 2013 - 6:27 PM

  • Name names! You gutless, self-serving, grandiose, ball of wind!

    the serial pest Sunday 10 February, 2013 - 12:25 PM

  • Sorry fat cat said no tanking no drugs 3 strikes protect the players at all cost a player could have ten strikes and we would never know protect the game and players at all cost its all about cover up to keep the game clean would somebody take the broom to DEMETRIOU one more question why did anderson get out in a hurry very sus

    barry Sunday 10 February, 2013 - 9:48 AM

  • @Susan,

    I don't know what you're planet you're living on, but on Earth nobody outside Australia has even heard of AFL football.

    Peter Hillster Saturday 9 February, 2013 - 5:07 PM

  • @Susan, you mention the trend of hate and racism against the 'world game' being an underlying factor but your rants are full of hate and vindictiveness, what is the difference?

    Gloss Saturday 9 February, 2013 - 11:15 AM

  • What the hell is wrong with you people.sport is a very important part of Victorians life and Is highly regarded,but there's a slight chance Abbott/WORKCHOICES is coming and people are worried about a slight breach of some code of conduct..think about blue collar jobs not,elite un professional sportspeople....

    Gazza Friday 8 February, 2013 - 11:16 PM

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