More powers needed for ASADA: AOC boss

AOC boss John Coates said ASADA should have more powers so it can catch major drug cheats.

freeman

Cathy Freeman

Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates says ASADA should be given powers strong enough to nab major drug cheats like Lance Armstrong and Marion Jones.

Coates has told Saturday's AOC annual general meeting that a lack of investigative powers left the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority with its hands tied behind its back as it attempted to deal with doping scandals at Essendon and Cronulla.

Coates repeated his call for coercive powers requiring athletes to attend an interview, answer questions, give information and produce documents, even if it means incriminating themselves.

The AOC inserted some coercive powers in amendments to its anti-doping by-law in May 2013 but the Senate rejected the opportunity to do likewise in the same year.

Without those powers, ASADA struggled to get access and answers from some of the key figures allegedly connected to the Bombers and Sharks.

"I think the ASADA process has been damaged by ... the fact that their hands were very much tied behind their back in gathering the evidence for most of these anti-doping rule violations, for which there was not a positive sample," Coates said.

"These investigative powers have led to (cyclist) Lance Armstrong and (athlete) Marion Jones being sanctioned and I don't know when it's going to happen, but I think at some stage it certainly needs to be strengthened."

Also at Saturday's meeting in Sydney, the AOC officially recognised Australia's indigenous people in its constitution.

Hockey gold medallist Nova Peris, now a Labor senator, said it was an historic moment.

"We are very unique in our values and our traditions and to be included in such a constitution of the Australian Olympic Committee is historic and it's quite significant," said Senator Peris.

Meanwhile, Coates said he was encouraged by the attitude of International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach towards a mooted bid to host the 2028 Olympics in Brisbane, when the IOC boss visited Australia late last month.

"He wanted us for 2024, but there is good support (from him)," Coates said.

"There is no rules of rotation, but he thought that 28 years is about time for it to come back down here.

"But he said at the same time he'll be out there encouraging others to compete against us."


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Source: AAP


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