Weekly Times | COUNTRY football figures have argued more warning and greater education is required if drug testing is to occur at community football level.
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority issued a statement on Monday in the wake of reports Essendon District Football League players were drug tested after their match on Saturday.
It said the authority implemented an “intelligence-based testing program, working with sports to target athletes and competitions at highest risk in an effort to deter and detect doping”.
And it warned that it could test any athlete who fell under the code — including all Victorian country footballers.
“It is important for athletes to understand that ASADA can conduct testing on any athlete who participates in a sport with an anti-doping policy.”
AFL Victoria declined to comment except to point to an anti-doping message for community football leagues on its website.
“Club players and officials of any Australian Football competition that is operated and managed under the laws of Australian Football are bound by the AFL Anti-Doping Code,” it said.
Sunraysia Football League president Pat Curran said the presence of drug testing was “fair enough”, but the sudden move to community level — which is considered unprecedented — was a concern.
“Drugs in sport isn’t confined to the AFL and I think we all know that. I think the suddenness of it is probably a bit hard to take,” he said.
“I’m not trying to shield any drug takers, but I think it is only fair that there is some sort of indication at least that ASADA is going to go into the country, which I suppose we have already since Saturday.”
Murray league general manager Dale Norman said more education was required, pointing to the risks posed some cold and flu remedies.
ASADA has warned that medications such as Sudafed and Codral, which contain pseudoephedrine, should not be used 24 hours before competing.
“I understand any AFL competition, country or metro, is bound by the AFL anti-doping code and if players are using or purchasing banned substances then ASADA is duty bound to catch these people,” Norman said. “But in saying that I think more education needs to be provided to these players to understand what they can take.”
