There were no positive tests reported in the re-analysis of long-term storage samples of Australian athletes prior to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Sport Integrity Australia conducted a re-analysis of the samples taken from 90 athletes who were either preparing for or competing in the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. The re-analysis, conducted by the National Measurement Institute, re-tested samples kept in storage for the past eight to four years utilising enhanced testing procedures.
Sport Integrity Australia’s Chief Science Officer Dr Naomi Speers said priority was given to re-testing samples from athletes in contention for selection for the Birmingham Games.
“Retesting as science advances is a powerful means for advancing clean sport,” Dr Speers said. “It is an encouraging result for clean sport, it also shows that Australian athletes have a commitment to clean sport.”
Sport Integrity Australia is a member of the Anti-Doping Taskforce for Birmingham 2022 which was headed up by UK Anti-Doping and the Commonwealth Games Federation. The Taskforce concept was first established for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and now forms a legacy for future games.
Sport Integrity Australia has also conducted a significant pre-Games testing program as well as a wide-ranging education program developed in partnership with Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA).
In the past 12 months, Sport Integrity Australia has collected more than 650 samples from Australian athletes who are competing in Birmingham.
In addition, all Australian Commonwealth Games participants had mandatory completion of online courses which included anti-doping fundamentals and child safeguarding in sport induction. All participants were required to complete the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Induction course which was developed by Sport Integrity Australia for CGA.
The agency is also working in collaboration with CGA, with our personnel embedded in the Australian team offering guidance during the Games in Birmingham.
Sport Integrity Australia CEO David Sharpe praised the leadership of Commonwealth Games Australia.
“Craig Phillips has been a major supporter of Sport Integrity Australia and the broader integrity framework and this is a very important progression in the collaboration between CGA and Sport Integrity Australia,” Mr Sharpe said.
“I am confident this will be the template in the future with our staff embedded with Australian teams for major competitions.”
In addition, the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee (ASDMAC) conducted a review of the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) status of the Australian Commonwealth Games team to ensure the team are well prepared.
The ASDMAC will also act as the TUE Appeals Committee for the Commonwealth Games Federation during the Games.
