DRUGS IN SPORT NEEDS A NEW POLICY

A debate about drug use by elite sportspeople highlighted a need for new approaches like-

• Rehabilitation for drug affected sportspeople.
• Elite sportspeople are facing the same drugs pressures as others in the wider community.
• Mentor support from senior players, coaches and former players.
• Extra support for young sportspeople that are moved away from families.
• Club programs to assist sportspeople to adjust to drug and media pressure.
• Sportspeople accepting that at the elite level they are looked on as role models by the wider community.

 (Source: ABC TV, Difference of Opinion program, 25 October 2007)

The Drug Advisory Council of Australia Comments
Also needed are-

• A consistent policy on drug use for all sports throughout Australia.
• Separate criteria for alcohol and illicit drugs.
• Alcohol which is widely available and legal would be applied to misuse and bad role models.
• Illicit drug policy would be applied to any USE and bad role models.
• Detoxification and rehabilitation centres should be available in all Australian states so that drug affected sportspeople do not have to travel overseas for help.
• Drug rehabilitation should be based on world’s best practice with a high success rate of getting sportspeople off illicit drugs permanently.
• Sporting bodies should contribute to the funding of detoxification and rehabilitation of sportspeople.
• Current and drug rehabilitated sportspeople should take a leading role in advocating against drug use as good role models.

Lets ditch harm minimization for world’s best practice.

THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS-

More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes. 
39/2007