The politician who helped kick-start Australian sport’s probe into drugs says recent revelations prove there are serious problems relating to integrity in sport.
Former sports minister Kate Lundy says the facts speak for themselves in the way the issues surrounding the ongoing ASADA investigations into AFL club Essendon and NRL side Cronulla are unfolding.
Senator Lundy was a key figure in the public release of the Australian Crime Commission report in February.
It outlined concerns that organised crime and drugs had infiltrated Australian sport.
“It’s very clear there are some serious problems that relate to the integrity of sport,” said Lundy, now the federal minister for multicultural affairs.
“That was the motivation for the ACC’s report going public, and I think the rest of it speaks for itself.”
The ACC report was released to heated criticism, most because it tarnished all sports and sportspeople because of a lack of specific allegations.
Few are disputing its veracity now as a string of revelations, most notably involving Essendon, arise daily as the ASADA probe drags into its sixth month.
Lundy said she was proud Australian sport was now focused on fixing issues surrounding sport’s integrity and performance-enhancing drugs.
She said the world would be watching Australia’s response to the thorny range of issues which have arisen since the ACC outlined its report and ASADA began its probe.
“I’m absolutely pleased and confident it’s (integrity issues) at the forefront of the considerations of the major sporting codes and sports in Australia, and we can only go forward from here,” she said.
“The rest of the world is now looking at Australia about how we approach these challenges, and we’ve led the world on these initiatives.”
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