A year-long government investigation has found widespread use of banned drugs in Australian professional sport and links with organised crime.
The Australian Crime Commission released the findings of a 12-month investigation into the integrity of Australian sport and the relationship between professional sporting bodies, prohibited substances and organised crime.
It said the links may have resulted in match-fixing and fraudulent manipulation of betting markets - and it was hopeful criminal charges would be laid.
The key findings of the investigation identified widespread use of prohibited substances including peptides, hormones and illicit drugs in professional sport.
It said that in some cases players were being administered with substances that have not yet been approved for human use.
The ACC also identified organised crime identities and groups that were involved in the distribution of PIEDS (Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs), to athletes and professional sports stars.
The ACC report noted increasing evidence of personal relationships of concern between professional athletes and organised criminal identities and groups.
‘‘The ACC has found that professional sport in Australia is highly vulnerable to infiltration by organised crime. Multiple athletes from a number of clubs in major Australian sporting codes are suspected of currently using or having used peptides,’’ Justice Minister Jason Clare said in a statement.
"The findings are shocking and will disgust Australian sports fans," he said. [wanna bet?] "It's cheating...but it's worse than that. It's cheating with the help of criminals.''
Mr Clare said one possible case of match-fixing was already under investigation, though he did not identify the sport.
He said that the evidence to date indicates that it is not the majority of athletes who are taking banned substances.
The investigation had also found organised criminals had been involved in the distribution of drugs. "This is particularly serious," he said.
Former Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority boss Richard Ings said Australians had been in denial about sports doping here for to too long.
‘‘This is not a black day in Australian sport, this is the blackest day in Australian sport," he said.
The report concluded that some coaches, sports scientists and support staff of elite athletes have orchestrated and/or condoned the use of prohibited substances.
Some sports scientists have indicated a willingness to administer substances to elite athletes which are untested or not yet approved for human use.
Sports Minister Kate Lundy said "we must remain vigilant" to fight the challenges to sports integrity.
"If you want to dope and cheat, we will catch you," she said. "If you want to fix a match, we will catch you."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/probe-finds ... z2KBItUUva
This just in from our "no shit Sherlock" dept.
This just in from our "no shit Sherlock" dept.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: This just in from our "no shit Sherlock" dept.
Only if you can tell me which way the game is fixed...[wanna bet?]
Re: This just in from our "no shit Sherlock" dept.
I'm not sure you could "fix a match" by giving one or more players performance-enhancing drugs. I would think the result would manifest itself over a longer term than a single match or game.
It would not surprise me in the least if the majority of such substances come from otherwise legitimate and law-abiding sources. Doctors, pharmacists, and so on.
It would not surprise me in the least if the majority of such substances come from otherwise legitimate and law-abiding sources. Doctors, pharmacists, and so on.
Re: This just in from our "no shit Sherlock" dept.
Dave, the match fixing would have been due to the contact with drug dealing gangs by the players, not by the use of drugs.
What better way to have a guy throw a penalty, or bowl a few no balls, than by having the ability to expose him as a drug taker?
What better way to have a guy throw a penalty, or bowl a few no balls, than by having the ability to expose him as a drug taker?
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: This just in from our "no shit Sherlock" dept.
That's exactly the point...
It puts the players in the position of being vulnerable to blackmail or intimidation by organized crime.
It puts the players in the position of being vulnerable to blackmail or intimidation by organized crime.