Vol. 497 No. 5
39 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the number of national sporting federations which have introduced a system of sanctions or penalties against their athletes who are proven to have used performance enhancing drugs or substances. [25636/98]
While I do not have up to date details of the number of national governing bodies of sports which have systems of sanctions or penalties against athletes who are proven to have used performance enhancing drugs or substances requested by the Deputy, the position varies significantly from body to body and also relates to whether the relevant international governing body has specified appropriate arrangements.
That situation was one of the reasons which prompted me, on assuming office, to prioritise the proper action and launch of Ireland's first National Sports Anti-Doping Programme, details of which were announced by me last summer. Details of the programme have already been circulated to all the national governing bodies of sport and discussions have commenced between representatives of the national governing bodies and the Irish Sports Council with a view to bringing the programme into effect when the council is established on a statutory basis.
Under the programme, national governing bodies of sport are required to actively co-operate with the Irish Sports Council in the fostering and maintenance of an anti-doping culture within Irish sport through, for example: adopting standard anti-doping provisions in their constitutions, to be agreed in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council. The agreed provisions will be so drafted as to facilitate developments in non-urine based anti-doping techniques and the possible subsequent application of associated tests subject to agreed relevant standards and protocols being in place; having clear operating systems in place for dealing with testing and the results of tests and applying sanctions in accordance with their own rules and regulations, to any athlete or player found in breach of anti-doping regulations.
Does the Minister agree it is incredible that while he is talking about criminalising drug takers in sport and new revolutionary blood analysis techniques, we are not getting the basics right? Does the Minister agree the basic system should be a urine analysis system, as is in operation throughout the world? The Minister is two years in office, yet he has still not introduced it. Will there be any testing this year? Will the money allocated for the drug testing programme this year be spent? According to the Estimates, it will not be? It is incredible that three years after the Department asked the 78 federations to include a system of sanctions in their constitutions, the Minister does not know which federations responded to this request. He must agree that without sanctions there is no deterrent.
Some 35 of the 75 national governing bodies I approached have replied to us about sanctions. Unfortunately, as this is an entirely new area, there are inconsistencies in the sanctions introduced. I want to ensure that all the governing bodies introduce consistent sanctions which are severe and with which they agree.
There would not be an anti-doping programme if we had not brought it forward. I have received funding for this programme which will start at the beginning of the year. We will carry out 600 tests throughout next year and only after those tests have been completed, will we have an indication of the prevalence of doping in sport. The budget has been put in place and systems will be available where random tests will be taken throughout the country, whether it is at a Gaelic football or boxing match or at a training ground or swimming pool. Two vehicles will patrol the country next year and resources have already been allocated for 600 tests.
