Sydney: Sports chiefs have slammed a report by the Australian Crime Commission (ACC), which revealed the existing drug and betting culture in various sports throughout the country. Australian sports chiefs have demanded the ACC name and shame the drug users identified in Thursday`s explosive report before the reputations of innocent athletes are unfairly tarnished. Led by rugby league coach Wayne Bennett, they argue all athletes have been unfairly smeared as drug users by a report, which uncovered widespread doping in Australian sport, with sportspeople angry at being under a veil of suspicion.
Bennett said the game is not at fault here and it`s the agencies who started it all yesterday and went so public. Bennett was joined by senior rugby league figure Phil Gould and Australia Football League (AFL) great Paul Roos in strongly criticising the lack of detail in the ACC report, saying athletes had been tarnished with the same brush. Bennett said the allegations didn’t come up as a shock to them but the way the whole case handles was baffling. The ACC on Thursday said it had uncovered links between organised crime and performance-enhancing drugs being used by elite athletes, but cited legal reasons in refusing to name sporting codes, clubs or individuals involved, the paper added. Rumours have been swirling around about a number of star players, but so far there has been no confirmation of identities.
Gould said this report from the Crime Commission is full of words like maybe, could be, suspected and potential, adding nobody has been named, no club has been named and no sport has been named, and it`s a broad-brush condemnation of Australian sport everywhere. Former Test fast bowler Brett Lee joined calls for facts to be forthcoming, claiming every one want to see some evidence and if someone is being caught, then it should be made public.
ANI
First Published: Saturday, February 09, 2013, 14:00