Players’ drug data worry

FOOTBALL’S player union has expressed concern about the release of intelligence surrounding failed illicit drug tests.

Australia’s new sports corruption watchdog, Sports Integrity Australia, wants access to drug testing data and other information uncovered by the AFL integrity unit that may help expose crime syndicates seeking to fix or influence matches.

AFL Players’ Association CEO Paul Marsh did not rule out the move yesterday, but said player welfare and confidentiality was paramount.

“The players have voluntarily signed up to the illicit drug policy for a very specific reason, which is to identify players who may be having issues with illicit drugs and to help them via a medical model,” Marsh said.

“Anything that reaches beyond that has not been agreed to by the players and would need to be subject to a serious discussion and negotiation between us and the AFL as the governing body.

“We’re always open to measures that maintain the integrity of the sport and protect our athletes from criminal organisations, while maintaining athlete rights and confidentiality.”

Australian Sports AntiDoping Authority chief David Sharpe said Sports Integrity Australia would not seek the names of AFL players who had failed tests, but information that could help identify “criminal threats and hot spots”.

“Every little bit of intelligence counts: the types of drugs, where they are getting them and where they are hanging out. What sort of groups they are in,” Sharpe said.

“There are obviously concerns about protecting a player’s wellbeing and a player’s confidentiality, and we very much agree with that.”

But Sharpe has warned that bikies and organised crime gangs are increasingly preying on vulnerable athletes in order to gather inside information about matches and, in the worst-case scenarios, to influence games. ASADA is one of several agencies to be absorbed by Sports Integrity Australia, which was unveiled by the federal government last week.