Sports and Recreation Minster Michelle O'Byrne.
THE state government is launching an anti-doping blitz because it is concerned about the possibility of drugs in Tasmanian sport.
Sports Minister Michelle O'Byrne was briefed on Thursday by the Australian Crime Commission about doping in professional sport and said yesterday it could be happening here.
``I cannot rule in or out any particular behaviours ... [but] with the information they did provide us with though, it is concerning," she said in Launceston yesterday.
``I have a concern that ... nationally sports have been identified as having unethical and potentially illegal cultures developing around drug-taking and both illicit and performance-enhancing drugs.
``It would be naive to think that no one in Tasmania has found their way into the net of this appalling scourge on sport.
``Our job is to go through and make sure that we are providing every sporting organisation with the information and support that they need to make sure that their sport is clean."
Ms O'Byrne said she would invite Tasmanian sports groups and other organisations including the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, Tasmania Police, and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to a forum.
The government will also:
- Introduce laws to tackle match-fixing to outlaw inappropriate sports betting by participants.
- Tighten access to legal medicine prone to misuse.
- Make tax-payer funded sports groups adhere to a code of conduct.
- Work with forum guests to develop a plan.