Australia has been at the forefront in the fight against doping in sport. It was one of the first countries to establish a sports anti-doping agency and is a member of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Australia abides by World Anti-Doping Code. In 2010, Australian John Fahey was re-elected as President of WADA for a second and final three-year term which finished at the end of 2013. Australia like other major countries has been embroiled in major doping in sport controversies and issues.
Administration
As a result of the Senate Drugs in Sport Inquiry held 1989–1990, the Australian Government established the Australian Sports Drug Agency through the Australian Sports Drug Agency Act 1990. On 14 March 2006, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) replaced the Australian Sports Drug Agency. Besides education and testing, ASADA was given increased powers to conduct investigations, present cases at sporting tribunals, recommend sanctions, and approve and monitor sporting organisations' anti-doping policies. In June 2013, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Amendment Bill 2013 provided ASADA with increased investigation powers. The Bill provided ASADA the right to compel those it believes that have knowledge about doping practice or a specific doping violation to attend an interview and to produce related documents. Failure to cooperate will lead to civil penalties.
Australia has a National Anti-Doping Framework that aligns domestic anti-doping efforts in Australia through a set of agreed principles, alongside clearly identified areas for co-operation between the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments. Members of the Framework are Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, Australian Sports Commission, State and Territory Governments, national sports organisations, state sporting organisations and professional associations. Other Australian Government agencies that play a role in the Framework include National Measurement Institute, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Federal Police and Australian Crime Commission.
ASADA plays a prominent role in the development of the World Anti-Doping Code
Testing
Royal Brisbane Sports Drug Testing Laboratory was accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for testing between 1982 and 1987. It ceased testing in 1987 after it failed IOC biennial reaccreditation. It was replaced by the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories now called Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory which is a section of the National Measurement Institute. In 2011/12, Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority conducted 3,996 government‑funded tests across 45 sports and 3,200 user‑pays tests for Australian sporting bodies and other organisations.
Research
The Australian Government allocates funding for scientific and social science anti-doping research through the Anti-Doping Research Program (ADRP). ADRP is funded under the Australian Government's Sport Anti-Doping Program, which also supports Australia's international anti-doping commitments to the WADA and UNESCO. Research into sports doping issues is also undertaken by a range of Australian universities and research findings are published in academic journals and The Conversation website. Science and Industry Against Blood Doping (SIAB) located on the Gold Coast, Queensland is a leader in blood doping research.
Chronology of doping
Chronological listing of major sports doping events and issues in Australian sport. Listing excludes horse racing, harness racing and greyhound racing and does not include individual doping violations.