FINA ready for more action

Despite Minister for Tourism and Sport Dr Jim McDaid's declaration of a war on drugs in sport, Irish swimming reported only one in-competition drugs test and no out-of-competition tests in 1998, according to FINA, the world governing body

With the world short-course championships in Hong Kong as a backdrop, FINA have announced new rules to combat illegal drug taking in the sport, including publishing a list of banned substances for the first time.

The recreational drug cannabis is not on the list to be tested for out of competition. As part of the new rules, FINA also announced the setting up of a Doping Control Review Board to advise on drug cases.

Having requested national governing bodies to provide them with information regarding their drug testing procedures, FINA did not, however, receive out-of-competition reports for eight out of 15 European countries. FINA official Shirly Rica confirmed that Ireland carried out only one test during competition for the entire year.

John Treacy, chief executive of the Irish Sports Council, yesterday said that despite original indications that a drug testing programme would be up and running early in 1999, he must wait until a Bill regarding drug testing goes through the Dail and only then can a proper facility be set up in Ireland.

"I hope that the Bill will be passed in May or June. We have already tendered for a laboratory and we expect that back by mid April," said Treacy.

"A second part of the plan is to get a sampling company to carry out the testing and that too has been put to tender. We expect that back at around the same time as the lab tender.

"Thirdly, we have been in touch with the national governing bodies of the sports in Ireland to ensure that they have provision in their constitutions to cater for drug testing when the Bill comes through. We have asked them to appoint anti-doping officers, primarily to supply information regarding competitions which are taking place in their particular sport and to provide the whereabouts of athletes all year round," added Treacy.

"I'm hoping that by June something will be up and running but really it depends on how quickly the Bill goes through the Dail."

FINA president Mustapha Larfaoui told reporters in Hong Kong: "We are trying to find the best way to fight against cheaters. But we are never finished with this . . . I am not optimistic enough to think we can stamp out doping but we will do our best to control it," he said.

In the future FINA may also consider introducing sanctions against national swimming federations who fail to report the results of in-country doping tests to the organisation.

"Hopefully we are finding more clear ways to express ourselves so there is less confusion when the lawyers become involved," said FINA vice-president and legal adviser Ross Wales.

"While we re-wrote many of our rules they were very small steps and this is one of the areas where we need to make another small step," he added. "It would not surprise me a bit if in Sydney (where the next meeting takes place) we took the next step to make sanctions for those who do not report."

The new rules contain two detailed lists of banned substances. One list outlines those drugs which are banned during competition, while the second lists substances that are off limits to swimmers at all times. Cannabis is included as a banned drug for competing athletes, but is not on the second list.

"It is not a substance like steroids which allow an athlete to become bigger and better over time and that is why it is banned in competition and not out," said Wales. The new regulation will come into force in two months.