TonyK
CibbuanoAFL toughens drug code
March 9th 2010 04:04
THE AFL has signed an agreement with the Australian Anti-Doping Authority which sees it become the first sporting code in the country to test for HGH, EPO and CERA which is a synthetic form of EPO.
The league will conduct nearly 1000 tests for performing enhancing drugs in 2010 and will also freeze samples taken from players for up to eight years to allow for retrospective testing as technology improves.
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the new measures were to ensure the integrity of the competition was maintained.
"The AFL, through our medical commissioners Dr Peter Harcourt and Dr Harry Unglik, constantly works with ASADA to review our anti-doping strategy, to make sure it is in line with the leading anti-doping trends and work in international sports," Anderson said.
"Our commitment is that the AFL competition is conducted on the basis of athletic prowess and natural levels of fitness and development, and to set an example for all participants in Australian football by condemning the use of performance enhancing substances."
Anderson also confirmed that players could be stripped of individual awards such as the Brownlow medal or clubs of a premiership if retrospective testing revealed they were using banned substances at the time.
ASADA acting chief executive Richard Ings said the league's anti-doping program set the standard for Australian sport.
"We must commend the AFL on the way they have approached the development of their anti-doping program for 2010," Ings said
"They wanted to take advantage of every anti-doping tool ASADA has to offer and show the football community and its supporters the investment the AFL is willing to make to achieve pure performance in the sport."
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