Blackest day in Australian sports

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No, not losing the Ashes :rolleyes:

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.

Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare, Minister for Sport Senator Kate Lundy speak to the media during a joint press conference with sporting code representatives.

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.

"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.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/probe-f...crime-links-20130207-2dzw1.html#ixzz2KBdjhNMu
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Fair go...I think not :nono:
 
I'd like to have more detail. The article makes the scale sound massive but without detail they could just be justifying their costly investigation. I also wonder what percentage are recreational drugs in AFL and League in particular as many of those blokes aren't the sharpest tools and love to party.

If genuine drug cheating is found I hope it is stamped on hard although I also hope that if (a big if) players have been given illegal stuff without knowing it after being told by someone in authority that it was a vitamin shot or the like, that they aren't destroyed in a witch hunt.

The answer is of course to ban NRL and AFL and give all their sponsorship to waterpolo. You know it makes sense.
 
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^ I used to go swimming with the water polo guys down at the AIS - well I say 'swim with them' - for around a couple of laps, and then their unworldly stamina would leave me treading water :lol:
 
You do need to be fit, that is for sure. We estimated that my 14 y.o. son covers more than 2kms per game, mainly in sprints of about 20m at a time. Plus all of the leg work and actually playing the game. He doesn't have time to swim squads any more but hope to do a 26/27 second 50 free at the school swim carnival next week. He is depressingly fit.
 
What sports is that even talking about. Is it just to do with AFL? or does it spread beyond that to rugby and soccer.

Seems to say a lot without actually providing any real detail.
 
I must admit the idea of "Image Enhancing Drugs" makes me laugh.
I always thought image enhancing drugs meant "beer goggles".
 
Dargonk said:
What sports is that even talking about. Is it just to do with AFL? or does it spread beyond that to rugby and soccer.

Seems to say a lot without actually providing any real detail.
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Wasn't there a huge play on one A-League match a while ago.

Somewhere in the realm of $40m I heard
 
Flying Fox said:
Wasn't there a huge play on one A-League match a while ago.

Somewhere in the realm of $40m I heard
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No idea, don't really pay to much attention to it other than checking scores every now and then.

Would think a payout that big wouldn't be match fixing though. Would think they would want to avoid the attention that it would bring. Numerous smaller bets would be the better way I would think
 
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