Drugs in Sport: In the ongoing pursuit to eradicate the use of drugs in sport, Ireland now has one of the highest testing ratios per capita anywhere in the world.
Announcing its Anti-Doping Annual Report for 2005, the Irish Sports Council (ISC) revealed a total of 962 tests were carried out - 147 were user pay tests and 76 conducted overseas - across 38 sports through the National Programme with just two positive findings.
Both unnamed athletes tested positive for recreational drugs and were subsequently sanctioned. A squash player received a two-year suspension by the World Squash Federation while a rugby player was suspended for two months.
The significant number of tests, up by 44 from the previous year, is high by international standards. But at the same time a survey carried out by the Anti-Doping Unit revealed that 88 per cent of Irish athletes considered the ISC programme to have been effective in reducing drug taking in Irish sport.
"The number of tests is high by international standards and the number carried out in 2005 demonstrates the comprehensive nature of the programme," said John O'Donoghue, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism at today's launch in Dublin. "The programme identifies those who use prohibited substances and reassures about the vast majority who do not."
Dr Brendan Buckley, chairperson of the Anti-Doping Committee, noted 2005 was the first full year of the new Irish Rules, which provides a clear framework for all governing bodies to address the issue of drug taking in their sports.
The Anti-Doping Unit co-operates through the year with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Dr Una May, programme manager for the Anti-Doping Unit, was appointed chairperson of WADA's Independendent Observer Team at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki last August.
"Ireland is a role model for other nations in the world when it comes to combating drugs in sport," added O'Donoghue. "I believe Irish sport is relatively clean and because of the volume of tests carried out we have minimised the risk of athletes taking drugs."
"It is our intention to rid sport from the scourge of drug use in this country. This remains a challenge but one that we will win in the long term," said Buckley, noting New Zealand as a country who carried out a comparable amount of testing per capita.
John Treacy, chief executive of the Irish Sports Council, said it was the responsibility of the "governing bodies to inform and educate their athletes of the implications of drugs and usage".
"The GAA have now come into line with other bodies who govern team sports. Rugby has a well-established system and they even pay to have extra testing. Whereas drug testing within GAA is relatively new, so we have undertaken a partnership to walk hand-in-hand with the GAA at this point," he said.
"In order to effectively and terminally defeat the cheats, a co-ordinated international effort is required, based on effective national programmes and the Government is happy to endorse, support and fund the Anti-Doping Programme," concluded O'Donoghue.