YOUNGER SWIMMERS AND PARENTS READ THIS Drug Free Sport NZ Young Competitors Policy Statement Issue:
Can the application of the banned list be better focused, especially so as to prevent undue concern amongst parents and doctors when treating younger athletes competing below elite level?
Comment:
The breadth of the definition of a "competitor" in our Act, while having considerable advantages, also has the effect of arousing some disquiet, especially in sub - elite areas about the ability of people to use necessary medications. The most concerning (but not only) category is young athletes. The Agency wishes to reduce concern about the use of, for example, asthma drugs (and the need to notify use) and other drugs such as Ritalin. The Australian Sports Drug Agency have addressed this problem by specifying which categories of young competitors they will test and this policy has been adopted in New Zealand as well.
The Drug Free Sport NZ policy with respect to "Young Competitors" is as follows:
Drug Free Sport NZ will not test competitors under 15 years of age unless they: - are competing in National Standard Open Age events; or
- are competing at National Junior Championships at which Drug Free Sport NZ has been requested by the National Sporting Organisation to conduct testing; or
- have been identified by their National Sporting Organisation as an elite competitor in an open competition.
Drug Free Sport NZ will not test competitors 15 - 17 years of age unless they: - are competing in National Standard Open Age events; or
- are competing at National Junior Championships; or
- have been identified by their National Sporting Organisation as an elite competitor in an open competition
- are competing at an event at which the Drug Free Sport NZ has been requested by the National Sporting Organisation to conduct testing.
Drug Free Sport NZ will not conduct out of competition tests on competitors under 18 unless they are identified as elite or potentially elite national competitors in open age competition by their National Sporting Organisations.
Clearly this policy will alter the information you provide to your younger athletes, the policy will be reiterated to parents, coaches etc. who contact the Agency for information. The policy will ensure that young competitors who are competing at or near the top level in your sport will continue to be potentially subject to the testing programme and it will make little practical difference to the way we operate. It is designed to clarify and relax the rules for young competitors at a sub-elite level so that the more onerous requirements of the programme need not be a disincentive for them.
For more information go to the Drug Free Sport NZ Website
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