Vol. 495 No. 5
15 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has been in contact with the IRFU to discuss the recent controversy surrounding alleged drug taking in the sport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20445/98]
16 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress, if any, made regarding the national sports anti-doping programme announced by him in June 1998; if he has sought or received any report from the Irish Rugby Football Union regarding reports of illegal drug use by a number of rugby internationals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20440/98]
27 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his attention has been drawn to the urgent need to ensure that there are adequate drug testing facilities for sport in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20583/98]
44 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation his views on the reports of widespread use of creatine among schoolboy rugby players; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that latest reports show that this substance could be harmful; the steps, if any, the Government will take to ban the use of creatine among athletes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20489/98]
59 Ms Coughlan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation his views on the remarks made by the President of the International Olympic Committee regarding his possible support for the easing of restrictions with regard to certain performance enhancing drugs within sport. [20524/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 16, 27, 44 and 59 together.
Deputies will be aware of my deep concern with regard to the use of performance enhancing drugs within sport and my commitment to oversee the introduction of a national sports anti-doping programme.
All recognised national governing bodies of sport have been circularised with the details and will be involved over the coming months in consultation with the Sports Council, which will oversee delivery of the programme. Its provisions go beyond testing to incorporate assistance in the education of our young athletes about the dangers inherent in drug taking. While the programme will be voluntary in nature, public funding will be withheld from any national governing body of sport or individual athlete which opts out of the programme or, if participating, is found to be in breach of any element of the rules governing its operation.
I am aware that the IRFU has been very much to the fore in support of my proposals for such a programme. However, I have not been in direct contact specifically in regard to recent allegations against some rugby players because these cases are being investigated under the relevant national and international governing bodies' rules and regulations and would not, therefore, be a matter for discussion or communication between the union and myself.
With regard to remarks earlier this year, allegedly attributed to the President of the International Olympic Council, I believe that sporting performance, ideally, should be based exclusively on natural ability and sound training techniques application and that the rules of sporting bodies should reflect this approach.
Reports on the use of creatine and possible side effects have been varied. The substance is not, as far as I am aware, precluded by the International Olympic Committee or international federations of sport. I reiterate my belief that sporting performance should ideally be based on natural ability, sound training techniques and application.
The Minister confirmed that he has not met the IRFU and does not know whether it has provided for a system of sanctions under its constitution. Have our other sporting organisations, including the FAI, the GAA and the BLE, provided for such a system, as requested in 1996, and, if not, why? Will the Minister ensure the use of creatine to improve the performance of school athletes is banned? He should not wait for the Olympic Council of Ireland to do so. The use of creatine opens the door to other drugs.
While I have not met the IRFU officially, I have met some of its members informally.
At football matches.
I informed them that by early in the new year there will be a testing system in place. There will be mobile units which will have the power to test at random at every venue, be it GAA, rugby, soccer or swimming. There will be 600 tests next year. The governing bodies have indicated their willingness to co-operate.
What about a system of penalties?
They have been informed that unless they change their constitutions to provide for adequate penalties, we will have to give serious consideration to the question of funding. As the Deputy is aware, annual general meetings are normally held at this time of year or early in the new year. It is only appropriate that they should be given the opportunity to make the necessary changes. There should be uniformity.
What about the use of creatine?
Although I am not an expert, I have grave reservations about the use in schools of creatine which is an amino acid found in the heart, liver and kidney and used synthetically to strengthen heart muscle. Parents should be fully aware of its effects. It should be added to the International Olympic Committee's list of banned substances.
That message should be communicated loud and clear to every school and everybody involved in sport. Question No. 27 relates to the provision of adequate drug testing facilities. The Minister outlined the procedures which are to be put in place. I am glad he has written to the sporting federations informing them of the penalties if they fail to provide for adequate penalties under their constitutions. It should be made clear that the Oireachtas, which supports them generously financially, takes the matter of drug taking in sport very seriously.
I agree with the Deputy. The necessary resources to implement the programme are available. To date we have received the co-operation of the various federations.
Question No. 44 relates to the use of creatine among schoolboys. I am encouraged by the Minister's response but what legislative steps will the Government take? Creatine is being used by rugby players at all levels. It is being advertised as a wonder drug and was the drug used by Arsenal in doing the double under Arsene Wenger last season. If one looks at the Internet——
The Deputy should ask questions, not impart information.
Does the Minister accept that creatine poses a health threat, particularly to young adults who are still developing? Three people have died in the United States. The Minister should take the matter seriously.
I agree with the Deputy. The message being sent is that parents should be aware of the adverse effects of creatine. I admire the way the French handled the doping controversy during the Tour de France, which was an overwhelming success in terms of marketing this country. As the Deputy is aware, I have referred the matter to an independent subcommittee of the Sports Council. Sports people should not be allowed to investigate other sports people. Governments will have to take the initiative. There are a number of substances, of which we are well aware, to which creatine has been added arising from its use during the World Cup and by teams such as Arsenal. It should be included on the list of banned substances.
Will the Minister make his views and those of the House known to schools through the Minister for Education and Science? To encourage young people to use creatine is a form of child abuse. Will the Minister ensure this issue is included in the review of codes of practice governing the participation of young people in sport?
The points raised by the Deputy are worth noting. I will discuss the matter with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science. The Deputy's version of the report has been updated. I hope the full code of practice will be published in February.
Is the Minister happy that people engaged in sports training and coaching have an adequate understanding of the long-term damage some of these products can cause? According to Neil Francis, some of them can turn blood into a type of sludge and one can imagine the consequences of that.
Is the Minister prepared to take the initiative in raising public awareness of the dangers attached to these products, not to mention the unacceptable aspect of cheating? Is he happy that 600 tests per year is sufficient? That represents two random tests per day and, given the amount of sporting activity taking place, is anything but adequate.
The figure of 600 is twice the average number of tests being carried out in the UK on a per capita basis. There will be 600 tests per year initially to get the scheme started. On the basis of those tests we will have a fair indication of the level of usage of performance enhancing drugs in sport. We will also use them as a basis for research.
With regard to the Deputy's first question, coaches and players, particularly in the elite or high performance sports, are fully aware of performance enhancing drugs. Articles such as that by Neil Francis highlight an issue which otherwise would lie dormant. Mr. Francis dealt with the rugby area but there are probably other sporting organisations which have stories to tell in this regard and we will probably hear them in the future.
The National Coaching Training Centre in Limerick holds meetings on various aspects of sports throughout the year. The next meeting is due to be held on 26 November. These issues, particularly doping in sports, will be taken on board by the Sports Council, with an independent body to deal with it.
The Minister, like all Deputies, has probably heard the rumours about the use of creatine by some schools. Has he undertaken any inquiries to find out what schools, if any, are arranging to have this drug administered? Does he know if parents' permission is required before schools can administer such drugs? Is creatine a prescription drug or can it be bought over the counter?
Unfortunately, creatine can be bought over the counter. With regard to the Deputy's first question, there have been second and third hand rumours about its use in schools. However, I am unaware of any specific schools although I heard the rumours.
Creatine is a muscle enhancing drug. Parents have little knowledge about it despite the publicity it received during the summer. Before the summer the fact that it had been used was widely advertised and parents were even advocating to coaches that they should use it. Awareness of the potential adverse effects of the drug is the issue we must tackle first.
For Deputy De Rossa's information, one can buy 100 per cent creatine in the Hibernian mall. I checked this yesterday and it is widely available.
The Minister says the substance is not banned by the Olympic Council. What steps can be taken to put this drug on the banned list? What steps can legislators take? If the Minister has not spoken to the IRFU, how can he ensure that adequate testing will take place at schoolboy level to prevent the use of banned substances? I include creatine among those substances although it has not yet been banned.
I hope schools will co-operate with the testing programme for 1999. The Deputy asked what can be done to include creatine on the list of banned substances. That is a matter for the international federations and the International Olympic Committee. It is up to them to put substances on the banned substances list. Unfortunately, however, earlier this summer the president of the International Olympic Committee advocated the reverse when he said there were too many substances on the banned substances list.
The Deputy said the substance is made synthetically by different companies and can be bought across the counter. If the Deputy said that outside the Dáil it would probably be libelous. He would be asked to prove it. As a medical practitioner, I believe creatine is harmful and that it should be included on the banned substances list. I will examine what methods are available to me, as Minister, to try to have it added to that list.
We have spent 20 minutes on these questions and there are other questions to be answered.
Are legislators entirely powerless in this matter? Can we not say that a substance ought to be banned? Are we dependent on the Olympic Council to do our work?
We are, unless legislation is introduced to empower the State and the Government to intervene in the area of doping in sport. It will probably come to that because we cannot allow different federations to investigate themselves. That is the way this process is heading. Substances should probably be included on the banned substances lists on foot of legislation on this matter.
I will allow a further two brief questions.
I urge the Minister to take the necessary steps to outlaw the use of creatine to enhance performance in sport. If we wait for President Samaranch——
The Deputy is not allowed to make a statement.
Will the Minister take the initiative in this matter given that President Samaranch is perceived as being soft on performance enhancing drugs for commercial reasons?
Has the Minister considered the technical difficulties attached to outlawing this drug? Creatine is formed in the body and a certain level is always present in the body. The difficulty arises when the material is added artificially through the use of pharmacological preparations. How will the Minister overcome the technical difficulty of making a distinction between a substance which occurs naturally and the same substance being present as a result of using pharmacological preparations?
It is a naturally occurring substance in the body and that causes problems with blood testing. It is necessary to find the standard levels of each of these substances in an athlete who does the 100 metres as opposed to one who does the 5,000 metres. This is the problem and blood testing is the way forward. However, it is necessary to establish the normal standards. That is what we are trying to do with the tests. Through testing and feeding into different research we hope to be able to establish the standards in the not too distant future.
With regard to Deputy Allen's point, I will raise the matter when the opportunity arises.
