A Launceston exercise scientist sees a silver lining in the black cloud of the sport drugs scandal - tighter control on professional standards.
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James Fell is the Launceston-based exercise science course co-ordinator for the University of Tasmania.
Dr Fell said yesterday some people being described as ``sports scientists'' in the media this week were not members of the professional body so were not real sports scientists and were blackening the name of those who were.
Exercise scientists are often called sports scientists.
Exercise and Sports Science Australia is the nation's peak body for exercise and sports science. It has more than 3500 members and fosters excellence in professional practice, education, training and research.
He said about 100 students were studying in Tasmania for the exercise science degree and most would work in allied health as exercise physiologists, but some could end up working for professional sporting teams.
Dr Fell, an ESSA state board member, said if the drugs scandal encouraged employment of only professionally recognised sports scientists then the nation would benefit. This was because ethics were important to members and they could be deregistered if they broke the rules.
He said his students were taught about the importance of being ethical and what was legal and illegal, but in the end it came back to the individual.
``So we can produce graduates with values,'' he said.
``But we cannot then control the pressures of life after that.''