PDF printable version of Strongest-ever doping protection for Aussie Olympians (PDF 30 KB)
21 February 2008
KE08/02
The most rigorous anti-doping measures ever will protect Australia’s team heading to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, said today.
In an historic partnership, the Australian Government and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) are working together on a world-leading anti-doping program for the 2008 Australian Olympic Team.
Ms Ellis said the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) was implementing every measure at its disposal to protect the integrity of the Australian Olympic Team in the lead-up to the Beijing games.
“The Australian Government, through ASADA will invest more than $1 million this year to ensure the Australian team going to the Beijing Olympics is subject to the most rigorous anti-doping measures ever,” Ms Ellis said.
“Our team will be protected by a combination of more than 1,000 blood and urine tests, long-term storage of selected samples, comprehensive pre-games anti-doping education and whole of government partnerships between ASADA and border control and state and federal law enforcement agencies.
“Any athlete on this team attempting to dope will face severe consequences,” she said.
ASADA in partnership with the AOC will put in place an eight-point ‘Pure Performance Program’. This will include steps never before seen for an Australian Olympic team:
- a comprehensive and targeted urine and blood testing program of all athletes heading to the Olympic Games, with a one-test-per-athlete guaranteed minimum
- placing the samples of ‘at risk’ athletes and those in medal contention into ‘The Tank’ (ASADA’s deep-freeze storage facility, designed to close the net on use of undetectable prohibited substances by freezing samples for future retesting with new technology)
- ASADA working closely with state and federal law enforcement agencies and the Australian Customs Service to boost interception at the border of any prohibited substances destined for Australia
- a comprehensive anti-doping education program to be delivered by ASADA to every Australian Olympic athlete in the six months leading up to the Olympic Games
- an anti-doping commitment from every athlete
- additional scrutiny and targeted testing of identified ‘at risk’ sports
- cooperation between the AOC and ASADA on any alleged anti-doping breaches
- follow-up activity to interview any athletes or their support personnel who record anti-doping rule violations – enabling investigation of prohibited-substance supply chains.
AOC President John Coates said he was pleased to see the AOC and the Australian Government working so closely together.
“These initiatives to protect the Australian Olympic Team are a demonstration of what can be achieved when sport and governments work together,” Mr Coates said.
“The AOC is absolutely committed to eliminating doping from sport and we are pleased to partner with the Australian Government and such a determined anti-doping body as ASADA to protect the integrity of Australia’s Olympic representatives.”
Media contacts: (Ms Ellis’s Office) - Brent Hooley 0434 561 033
(AOC) - Mike Tancred 0412 330 274
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