Jan O'Sullivan
Ceist:9 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation his views on doping in Irish sport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11770/99]
Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions. - Doping in Sport.
My abhorrence of the practice of drug taking to enhance sporting performance is widely known. Drug taking to enhance sporting abilities and achievements is contrary to the values of sport and the principles for which it stands, namely, fair play, loyal competition and equal chance. Such doping also endangers the health of athletes, and is totally contrary to sport as a life enhancing, healthy activity.
The past 20 years have seen more change in sport than in the whole of the previous century. Commercialisation and professionalism have changed completely the sports environment. Where once honour alone was at issue on the playing field now huge sums of money are often also at stake. Given human nature, we cannot be too surprised if the honour and the pleasure of participating in sport have been overtaken by the desire to win, sometimes at any price. We cannot be complacent and assume that Irish athletes are not equally subject to such pressures and temptations as athletes from other countries.
Against this background and given my profession of medical practitioner, I identified the issue of doping in sport as a key priority upon taking office as Ireland's first senior Minister with responsibility for sport. I am pleased to say that over the past year I have overseen a number of innovative developments in this field. As the Deputy will be aware I have introduced draft legislation to establish the Irish Sports Council on a statutory footing. A function of the council will be to take such actions, as it considers appropri ate, including testing, to combat doping in sport. In addition, the draft legislation provides for the establishment of an anti-doping committee of the Irish Sports Council to assist and advise the council in fulfilling its anti-doping function. Yesterday saw the draft legislation pass Second Stage in the Seanad and I hope that the Bill will be enacted within the next few weeks.
Additional Information
In this context it is proposed that Ireland first ever national sports anti-doping programme which I launched last year, will be operated under the auspices of the statutory Irish Sports Council. Once the programme becomes operational, Ireland will be in a position to ratify the Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention, 1989, which we signed in June 1992.
While my immediate core objectives are the introduction of a statutory based Irish Sports Council and the subsequent implementation of the national sports anti-doping programme, I also believe that the measures in the programme should be complemented and strengthened by additional legislative measures targeted at the possession and supply of certain performance enhancing drugs.
In this context I have had discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, concerning the possible inclusion of certain substances used for enhancing sporting performance under Ireland general drugs legislation. It is hoped that such measures will be in place by the end of 1999.
Such changes will send a strong, clear signal to all those who promote and facilitate the use of certain performance enhancing drugs that they will, in future, be committing a criminal offence and be subject to the full rigours of the law.
Drug abuse in sport, of its nature, cannot be tackled at just the national level. This has been acknowledged at European level with the European Union committing itself to work with sports organisations in the fight against doping in sport. I too believe strongly that we must all work together at international level to address the issue.
I compliment the Minister on the measures he has outlined and I accept his full commitment in this area. Can the Minister comment – from anecdotal or other evidence that has come his way – on the level of use of performance enhancing drugs by high performing athletes and sports people in this country? Is there any evidence of substantial drug taking by Irish athletes to enhance their performance?
We would be naive to think there is no drug taking among Irish athletes but I cannot give an exact figure. I cannot start the anti-doping programme until the Seanad passes the Bill to set up the sports council. I hope that will be set up in the next few weeks. I had anticipated that I would have 600 tests carried out this year.
While the Bill has been going through the House, tenders have gone out to different laboratories which are willing to take on the testing. We are putting in place all those other issues which will be ready to go once the Bill is enacted. After those tests are carried out I will be able to give the Deputy and the rest of the country an idea of how prevalent the use of doping is in sport.
Which sports, in particular, give the Minister major cause for concern at this point in time?
I cannot claim knowledge of any sports, in particular. Once the testing is in place we will have mobile units which will be able to travel to any part of the country and turn up at football, hurling, boxing, tennis, swimming events, etc. I have received great support from all the national governing bodies and a few, particularly the rowing body, have offered themselves as guinea pigs in this area. I am very grateful for the response I have had from the national governing bodies, all of which are anti-doping in sport. As we know, it is the coaches and individual athletes who are at fault here. I have received total commitment from the national governing bodies. I will, perhaps, be able to answer the question at the end of the year.
The Minister said that one of his key priorities was to introduce a drug testing programme. I have read several times in different media that the major impediment to the introduction of the drug testing programme was the failure to set up a national sports council on a statutory footing. What legal impediment prevented the Irish Sports Council, as constituted at present, from carrying out tests?
It is not statutory. It would have no authority to send people—
What about the Minister's Department?
I cannot send someone to Deputy Allen to ask him for a sample of urine.
Will there be any age limit for testing for these drugs? In other words, will only athletes above a certain age be tested? How does the Minister intend to pursue that aspect?
I do not envisage any age limit on it. It has come to my attention that certain schools have, unfortunately, been using performance enhancing drugs in certain sports. The Bill does not specify an age limit. I will certainly take advice on it if the schools are willing to introduce it to clean up their image, particularly the secondary schools which have been involved. I await a response from them.