Fahey hits out at ACC approach

Updated February 13, 2013 09:22:47

The president of the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA), John Fahey, has criticised the Australian Crime Commission's very public approach to doping allegations against Australian football players.

Speaking in London, Fahey has told ABC that the four Australian football codes had to do more to fight drug use, including the use of biological passports to track a player's drug history.

Fahey used WADA's annual media symposium to say all sports around the world should be doing much better in the fight against drugs.

He said there should be more EPO tests, especially in soccer, but that there should also be more use of intelligence and investigation, not just reliance on testing.

Fahey voiced particular concerns about one new anti-drug measure from the Australian Olympic Committee: the move to make future Olympians sign a declaration that they have never taken drugs.

"Will people find themselves in the position where I've just been selected to represent my country for the Olympics, if I say that three years ago I did this, I did that - they'd send them out of the team, my sporting life is over?" Fahey said.

"You step over the line at that point or you stay behind the line and you can never recover."

Fahey also said he was still not convinced that the ACC had to release details at this stage of its investigation - saying that the publicity was causing unnecessary suspicion and doubt.

"I'm not sure this approach to it is the right way to go. I was looking for a good reason. I'm not sure I've heard a good reason yet."

One of the people named in media reports about the issue has been former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank.

Dank told ABC's 7.30 this week that unnamed coaches took substances not approved by WADA.

Higher penalties for coaches

While Fahey would not comment on the specific case he said any coach found to use prohibited drugs should face stronger penalties than an athlete who does the same.

"Quite a number of our athletes are very young. They're not experienced and they're under the guidance and influence of their mentor, no bigger mentor than a coach.

"And if you want to succeed in sport you take notice of your coach. So if coaches are breaching the rules then coaches need to be dealt with far more seriously, with far greater sanctions than athletes in most instances."

Audio: WADA head says Australian codes should do more to combat drug use (AM)

Fahey said Australia's football codes should follow the path of cycling and use biological passports to help catch drug cheats.

"It's available to any sport to use. They know it exists. Look, what I see is a recognition that there's a problem and the need to have a program," he said.

"But having the minimum program doesn't necessarily get you to the root of your problem or the problem more generally.

"And all of them can do more; it's a simple fact. I mean why aren't they doing the passport? Why aren't the top 200 rugby league players or AFL players subjected to the athlete's biological passport now?

"The reason is it costs money. Surely they can afford to spend that."

Topics: sport, doping-in-sports, australian-football-league, rugby-league, rugby-union, soccer, australia, united-kingdom, england

First posted February 13, 2013 08:14:06