Page 1755 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 17 October 1989
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MS MAHER (4.44): Mr Speaker, I congratulate the Government for its initiative and recognition that it has a responsibility to participate in the elimination of the use of drugs and doping practices which are prohibited by all sporting organisations. The problem of drugs in the sport sector has been with us for quite a long time and, as mentioned in the report and by my other colleagues, the events that occurred at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 have clearly shown the extent of this problem.
Sport generally refers to the physical activity that diverts or amuses, and it also refers to organised competition between trained athletes. Sport is an important aspect of our lives, especially the lives of our children. Australia is well known for producing great athletes in sports such as tennis, cricket, swimming, athletics, football and many others.
Performances by our athletes at recent Olympic Games have put more pressure on athletes to perform well and compete to win. This pressure is created by many factors - for example, the athletes' desire to achieve their goals, to get to the top. The community has a high expectation of our competitors, which is undoubtedly enhanced by media coverage. The coaches, administrators and sponsors are also under enormous pressure. We thrive on winners, and we tend to forget quickly those who are less fortunate. In fact, they get very little recognition for their efforts. Athletes who come home from international events and who have been unsuccessful get little praise from the Australians who love to see winners.
All of these factors and high expectations have led to an increase in the abuse of performance enhancing drugs, particularly in the last few years. In order to improve their performance, athletes are tempted to use and experiment with drugs. I might add that the majority of these athletes are not fully aware of the dangerous short- and long-term side effects these substances can have. Drugs like anabolic steroids, diuretics, beta-blockers and narcotic analgesics are all health hazards, and their use ultimately results in many acute and chronic disorders.
There is no doubt that the use of anabolic steroids does improve performance. It is sad to think many athletes believe that without these drugs they would not have a very good chance in competing against those who regularly use them. The report of the Senate committee of inquiry into drugs in sport sparked a great deal of concern and recommended the establishment of an independent Australian sports drug agency. I think it is the responsibility of every government to help this agency achieve its goals and combat the problem of drugs.
I must stress that education programs are extremely important and should be targeted at the young and aspiring athletes. More importantly, we should endeavour to
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