Action needed to stamp out drug use in youth sport

THE Fianna Fáil spokesperson for sport, Cork East TD Kevin O’Keeffe, has called for the introduction of a dedicated education programme to “stamp out” the use of performance enhancing drugs in youth sport.

Deputy O’Keeffe was commenting following recent calls for the introduction of mandatory drug testing for school rugby players.

While he recognised the use of performance enhancing drugs in schools was “at a low level”, Deputy O’Keeffe said it needs to be addressed before “a culture of tolerance is allowed to develop.”

“The IRFU, of course have a role to play in the testing and monitoring of illegal drug use in their competitions. However, the ad hoc approach to drug use in schools need a uniform approach that includes all codes,” said Deputy O’Keeffe.

“Fundamentally, schools and the Department of Education need to step in and provide guidance and advice. While suspect the number of under-age rugby players taking dugs is small the fact that it is happening at all should be a worry. We must ensure that it does not spread within that sport or into others codes.”

Deputy O’Keeffe said the bottom line was that drug use, be it for sport or recreation, “cannot be tolerated and condoned in our schools.”

“Investment is needed to ensure that young sports people are aware about the dangers of illegal drug use in sport. Some may choose to ignore such warnings, but that is where the potential for drug testing will come into play,” he said.

“It would serve youth sport much better if all the sporting bodies and NGOs came together to address this issue collectively,” he concluded.