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Crow's stinging attack on dopers

 

Crow's stinging attack on dopers

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AOC
Crow's stinging attack on dopers
ROWING: Olympic medallist Kim Crow has hit out at drug cheats saying “dopers have stolen the innocence of sport. Dopers have cast a shadow over our entire sporting population”.

ROWING: Champion rower and Olympic medallist, Kim Crow, has hit out at drug cheats saying “dopers have stolen the innocence of sport. Dopers have cast a shadow over our entire sporting population”. 

Crow’s comments are contained in a submission to a Senate hearing considering proposed amendments to the ASADA Authority Amendment Bill 2014 to be heard in Canberra this Friday. 

Crow, chairperson of the Australian Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, writes “there is no doubt that the prevailing view of the athletes is that there is no place in sport for doping, and tough sanctions for those who dope and those who abet the doping process is fundamental to clean sport.  

She adds, “allowing soft sanctions is punishing every clean athlete." 

Crow has the backing of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President, John Coates, who says “clean athletes have been overlooked, almost forgotten, in this current debate. I say to the members of the Senate Committee, and politicians in general, make the clean athletes a priority and decide how hard you want to carry the fight up to those who choose to cheat." 

Coates will lead an AOC delegation to Canberra to appear before the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee who are looking at proposed changes to the ASADA Act to bring it into line with the new WADA Code which begins on January 1st 2015. 

The changes include: 

  • Doubling the ban for athletes caught doping from two to four years.
  • Banning athletes from associating with support personnel (coaches, trainers, sports scientists) who have violated anti-doping rules.
  • Extending from eight to ten years the period in which investigations can begin into doping offences. 

Crow is competing overseas and unable to appear at the Canberra hearing. 

In her submission she strongly supports increasing the ban for drug cheats from two to four years. 

“While 4 year sanctions for serious offenders may seem a strong penalty, the sporting context suggests otherwise. For every doper out there, clean athletes suffer. We dedicate our hearts and souls to pursuing our sporting dreams. To have these dreams stolen by cheats is an irreplaceable theft. Imagine training every day with the knowledge that you were competing against 'dirty' athletes. How do you motivate yourself? Imagine finishing in fourth spot, only to later find out that you were beaten by cheats? This is a moment in time you can never get back." 

She is equally committed to seeing corrupt people in the 'athlete’s entourage' driven out of sport. 

“By bringing support personnel within the ambit of the ASADA Act, and by ensuring athletes are not abetted by known offenders, we are taking a highly important step in protecting clean athletes," Crow said.

“These people are destroying the foundations of sport- the joy of competition, the challenge to improve oneself, the ultimate goal of being one’s best."

AOC

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