Practical approach being taken about dangers of drugs
DRUG Free Sport New Zealand is taking a practical approach to educate young athletes about the dangers of drugs in sports.
The organisation held a seminar in Dunedin this week for Otago Boys’ High School pupils about the pitfalls of drug use and the dangers faced when embarking on a professional sporting career.
Included in the seminar were details about a service where medications can be easily and quickly checked through a texting service.
Drug Free Sport New Zealand chief executive Graeme Steel said along with the text service the organisation was looking at building a new website which targetted young athletes and outlined what they should be doing in regards to making good decisions with regard to drug use and other issues.
‘‘We want to be able to offer practical advice around things like supplements which many people may use. But we can have foods which can be just as good if not better,’’ Steel said.
He said all sports should be vigilant about what is being offered to young athletes and the risks involved and he hoped many sports would link to the new website.
Supplements were the most likely source of drugs found in athletes who were subsequently suspended and he said the use of supplements did not appear to be slowing down.
‘‘It is almost a part of what athletes seem to do now. They are marketing it cleverly now and there seems to be the sense that it is going to make a different to them [athletes].
‘‘But the general rule of thumb is that if it says it will give you a shortterm benefit in strength, power and energy . . . then it has got something banned in it.’’
Steel said the majority of positive tests came from athletes using supplements.
‘‘It is the wild west out there. A concoction of stuff that is being cooked out in the garage. People have no idea what is going on out there.’’
He said some of the supplements were made in New Zealand.
People on the most part were being conned about the payoff they got from supplements.
Top sport teams such as the All Blacks and Super rugby teams used supplements but they did it in a disciplined and organised manner and were not overly reliant on them, which was the correct approach.
With such high rewards in sport these days, the temptation was great for young athletes, he said.
Steel said schools were slowly taking up the offers of the free seminars and all had received positive feedback.