As the rumblings from the USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong and the US Postal team continues, the after effects continue to be felt in countries as far away as Australia.
Armstrong’s former team-mate Matt White admitted the use of banned substances while racing as a pro and as a result, he lost his role with both the Orica GreenEdge cycling team and also as part of Cycling Australia’s National Men's High Performance Program, where he was professional men's road coordinator.
Another former pro, Stephen Hodge, also resigned from his position after an admission of his own. He had been vice-president of CA. Still on board at present is Neil Stephens, who was implicated in the Festina Affair.
Now Australian minister for Sport Kate Lundy has appointed the Hon James Wood AO QC, Chairman of the NSW Law Reform Commission, to review CA’s operations.
It will look into the body’s governance and administrative areas, including its recruitment, employment and appointment practices. Another role will be to examine Cycling Australia’s anti-doping policies and practices and advise on their effectiveness including any improvement that should be made.
The results of the review will extend into other sports, with the Australian government set to refer those recommendations onwards to the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA). They in turn will draw up policies and guidelines to be implemented across all sports.
According to Lundy, the review is something which must happen in order to move on. “There have been serious implications for Australian cycling following the release of the explosive United StatesAnti-Doping Agency report confirming sophisticated doping programs infiltrated the sport at the elite level,” she said.
“In the wake of the resignation of the Australian officials involved in these doping programs, it is important for Cycling Australia and the thousands of competitive cyclists in Australia that we move quickly to ensure the confidence and trust of the Australian public is restored in cycling’s governing body.
Cycling Australia President Klaus Mueller said that he welcomed Wood’s appointment for the review, and felt that in the long term, it would put the sport on a better footing.
“The appointment of such an eminent, experienced and independent person as Mr Wood and the scope of the Terms of Reference, gives me great confidence that this review will go a long way towards restoring confidence in the integrity of Australian cycling, as well as providing a platform for future best practice operations for all Australian sport,” he said.
He added that CA would cooperate fully, and hoped that the review would get underway as soon as possible.
Meanwhile the Dutch Cycling Union KNWU has decided to set up an anti-doping commission, which will study the culture of doping in relation to Dutch cycling. It will be set up later this month and be required to report by July 1st of 2013. It is intended that it will come up with concrete recommendations about how to best tackle the issue.
Apart from the KNWU’s involvement, the national anti-doping authority and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport will also be part of the process.