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Coaching role and responsibility > The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
ASADA has established a Stamp Out Doping Hotline (1800 645 700) and email facility (stampoutdoping@asada.gov.au) for members of the public to provide ASADA investigators with tips and leads about drug use in sport.
Issue: Volume 29 Number 1
Australia is acknowledged as being a nation at the forefront of the fight against doping in sport, balancing a 'tough on drugs' approach with ensuring all athletes are treated fairly and their rights are protected.
In line with this commitment, the Australian Government established the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) in March 2006. For the first time anywhere in the world, Australia now has a holistic anti-doping body with powers enshrined in legislation to deal with doping cases.
ASADA’s mission is to be Australia's driving force for pure performance in sport, consolidating the old sample collection, education and advocacy functions of the Australian Sports Drug Agency with the Australian Sports Commission's policy development, approval and monitoring roles, along with a new enforcement role and investigating and presenting cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and other sports' tribunals.
Any athlete who chooses to engage in doping can be assured that the full weight of ASADA’s powers and processes will be applied to detect, prosecute and sanction them.
The functions of ASADA include sample collection, education, advocacy, policy development, approval and monitoring as well as supporting the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee.
ASADA can also investigate allegations of anti-doping rule violations under the World Anti-doping Agency Code, report its findings from such investigations to relevant sporting organisations and present cases arising from its investigations or otherwise to a sporting tribunal, committee or other hearing body.
ASADA has extensive powers, including the ability to conduct investigations on the basis of information acquired from its sample collection program and other activities, where it has received information from any other person, or on its own initiative.
It also has the power to receive, use and disclose (where appropriate) information from the Australian Customs Service or other law-enforcement agencies where that information is relevant to a possible breach of a sport’s anti-doping code.
Most importantly, ASADA has the power to present cases at any subsequent sports tribunal hearing in relation to any competitor or support personnel who is alleged to have breached the Code (whether or not ASADA investigated the case).
While the powers of ASADA are extensive, the Government has also ensured that the rights of athletes and athlete suppport personnel are fully protected through a series of checks and balances, including the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the Federal Court.
ASADA is also subject to the strict provisions of the Privacy Act and the World Anti-doping Agency Code to further protect athletes' rights under the new system.
On the whole, ASADA means business as usual for sport. Any coach or athlete who would like more information about ASADA and how it may effect them should speak to their national sporting organisation, visit the ASADA web site www.asada.gov.au or contact ASADA on (02) 6206 0200 or email: asada@asada.gov.au
