Australian Olympic Committee Pushes For Increase In Doping Bans

Doping bans for Australian athletes could double after the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's "perceived soft action" against National Rugby League side Cronulla players, according to the AAP. Olympic rowing Medalist and Australian Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission Chair Kim Crow "is the latest influential sportsperson to hit out at perceived light sanctions." AOC President John Coates "will lead a delegation before the Senate's community affairs legislation committee in Canberra on Friday to discuss proposed changes to the ASADA Act." There is a push to bring it into line with the new World Anti-Doping Agency code, "which begins from January 1 and proposes doubling the ban for doping athletes from two to four years, as well as banning athletes from associating with support personnel who have violated anti-doping rules." Crow "was strident in her demand for stronger doping penalties." Crow: "Allowing soft sanctions is punishing every clean athlete" (AAP, 10/13).