DownloadOverview: Chair’s message
This Annual Report comes at a time of major development in Australia’s commitment to driving Pure Performance in sport with the evolution of the Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) into the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA).
Since its launch in 1990, ASDA has taken a leading role in the fight against doping in Australian sport. The ASDA team has enjoyed countless highlights over the past 15 years including its vital roles at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, the Good Will Games in 2001 and the Rugby World Cup in 2003. I want to pay tribute to ASDA staff past and present whose passion and commitment have been responsible for ASDA’s success. I particularly want to thank ASDA Chairperson Dr Brian Sando and the ASDA Board for their dedication to the goal of Pure Performance and their stewardship of the transition to ASADA.
On 14 March 2006, the Australian Government launched ASADA with a goal of making the Tough on Drugs in sport message even tougher. ASADA combines the world class foundations of advocacy, education and sample collection pioneered by ASDA with extensive new functions of investigations, presenting cases at hearings, sanction recommendation and the development, approval and monitoring of sporting organisations’ anti-doping policies.
The bold mission of ASADA is to protect Australia’s sporting integrity through the elimination of doping. In its first few months of operation, ASADA has launched a range of anti-doping initiatives in pursuit of that mission.
On the day of launch, ASADA rolled out a sweeping anti-doping program designed to protect the integrity of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The Authority collected 212 samples from international athletes in the weeks leading into the Games and a further 1,075 samples from competitors during the Games. This level of anti-doping activity, which included Australia’s first blood testing for human Growth Hormone and comprehensive one-to-one athlete education sessions, set a new benchmark for anti-doping programs at the Commonwealth Games.
The commitment and dedication of ASADA’s professional staff played a critical role in protecting the integrity of the biggest international sporting event to take place in Australia since the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
In the midst of the Commonwealth Games, ASADA announced its first investigation following allegations of doping within the sport of weightlifting. ASADA investigators are currently in the final phase of that detailed investigation.
Powers of investigation represent a critical new tool in the fight against doping in sport. ASADA has been developing broad ranging partnerships with agencies such as the Australian Customs Service, the Australian Federal Police, State and Territory police forces and the Therapeutic Goods Administration to tackle the most serious Anti-Doping Rule Violations such as trafficking and administration. With athletes increasingly having access to substances that cannot be detected through traditional testing, powers of investigation will play a vital role in deterring and detecting sophisticated drug use.
In its fight against doping in Australian sport, ASADA for the first time has reached out for public support. With the launch of the Stamp Out Doping Hotline, athletes, athlete support persons and the public can now help eliminate doping from sport by referring information about doping directly to ASADA’s professional investigators.
The Stamp Out Doping Hotline is just another new initiative to raise the bar in the fight against doping in sport and more initiatives are to follow.
A core function of ASADA is its Doping Control program. 2005-06 saw ASDA/ASADA implement the largest drug testing program in its history with the collection of 7,585 samples, which represents a 23% increase from the prior reporting period. Government Funded tests comprised 4,547 of the total test numbers.
In 2005-06 ASDA/ASADA recorded 27 entries on the Register of Notifiable Events/Register of Findings. It is unfortunate that a minority of athletes are still involved in doping. With the launch of ASADA, at no time in Australian sporting history has an athlete involved in doping stood a greater chance of being detected and sanctioned. The sanctions under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code are severe.
While ASADA’s successes are important, there is no room for complacency. With more sophisticated forms of doping looming on the horizon, ASADA will need to continue to innovate to keep one step ahead of those that threaten the integrity of Australian sport. ASADA and its dedicated team are up to that challenge.
The financial outcome for the 2005-06 year is a strong indication of the dedication of ASADA to the success of Pure Performance. The result for the consolidated ASDA/ASADA accounts is a surplus of $1.494m. This is against the achievement of the expected deliverables. The increase in profit was due to an increase in the user-pays income and the lower than expected operating costs. This result reflects not just a positive operating environment but was the consequence of the tightening of the financial management of the Authority and improvements in each of the business areas. The Authority invested in the future with development and recognition of our capital expenditure on the in-house developed Athletes Whereabouts System.
On behalf of the ASADA Members and staff, may I conclude by expressing thanks to the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator the Hon Rod Kemp for his dedication to doping free sport and the launch of ASADA. Minister Kemp recently announced that he will not be contesting the next election and we all wish him well for life beyond politics.
Richard Ings
Chair
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority