I am an athlete - please treat me like one!

December 12, 2008

Now here’s something you may not be aware of. If you are a driver, co-driver or navigator in a motor sport event you are considered to be an athlete. Under the conditions of the Anti-Doping Policy a rally driver is as much an athlete as swimmer or a Soccer player. The same status applies to race drivers, co-drivers, navigators and off roaders, and of course drivers of all disciplines Athletes are reminded that they are all subject to the requirements of the CAMS Anti Doping Policy and especially for drivers (and co drivers) this means that the Drug Testing Officials from the Australian Sports Anti Doping Authority (ASADA) can, and do, require you to submit for a drug test at any time during competition. This does not happen only after events – as was the case at Phillip Island recently when testing was carried out on drivers between qualifying in the morning and racing in the afternoon. Athletes can sometimes get caught out having been prescribed medications which they are not aware are included on the “prohibited list”. Thus when they are tested, a positive reading is returned and a loss of licence usually results. This has certainly been the case with a driver from Sydney and one from Tasmania during 2008. Both drivers faced penalties simply because their doctor did not take into account that they were involved in a sport which has restrictions on drugs. CAMS suggests that all drivers adopt the following procedure whenever visiting a doctor and having medication prescribed – whether the medication is a prescription medication, or an over-the-counter medication. Simply ask the following question every time you go to your doctor or medical professional and they suggest or prescribe any form of medication: “I am an athlete – a sports person - competing in a sport which has a government Anti- Doping Policy. Is the medication which you are asking me to take prohibited in sport?” If the answer is that the drug is prohibited (all doctors will have access to the appropriate documentation) ask if the medication can be changed to something which is not prohibited. If this is not possible, then you may require a therapeutic exemption.