Drug testing GAA players ‘waste of money’

Kilkenny senior hurling doctor Tadhg Crowley has questioned the value of drug testing GAA players.

The Kilkenny City-based GP, who served on the GAA’s scientific and player welfare committee, believes the ramifications of a positive test could haunt a player for the rest of their lives even if it was the result of accidental or passive doping.

However, given the financial restrictions on Irish sport Crowley argued pumping millions into policing drug use was a bad move. “I think there’s an inordinate amount of money being wasted on it. Amateur athletes are being tested on a regular basis to show there is no drug use in sport,” he said on the Marian Finucane Show yesterday.

“What I’d be putting out there is that in the countries winning all the Olympic medals there isn’t actually that much testing going on. If you take the Russian Federation, two years ago most of their testing took place on the 16-year-old girls throwing the ribbons up in the air. The real gold medal winners weren’t being tested.

“I think we’re at a level here where we’re the best are being tested but I think it’s abusing athletes. I believe we’re spending €5m every three years on a drug testing programme and that isn’t being done across the world.”

The knock-on effect of such a regimental approach to testing is the way amateur players are being treated.

“After the big [GAA] matches two players are taken aside and tested in a room. People from the outside are probably looking in thinking it will make sure there is no drug testing in the sport. There has been no positive drug test in the sport and yet these amateurs have to spend up to, I’ve certainly been in the room, until after 9pm waiting.

“I’d be arguing why are we doing it at all. These are amateur games. There’s been no positive testing in the game.”

Kerry’s All-Ireland winning defender Aidan O’Mahony failed a drugs test but was subsequently proven innocent after it emerged he had used his asthma inhaler for medical purposes.

Crowley argued players were likely to be overly penalised and their careers could be put at risk due to the strict nature of drug testing. “It’s been pedalled out there by testing we’re going to stop drugs coming into our games. I’d make a point we’re doing something no other country in the world is doing in that we’re over testing our athletes and we’re putting amateur athletes under huge pressure,” he said.

“If an athlete tests positive to a certain medication and if it is a recreational drug which is not going to be performance enhancing, which is what we’re trying to prevent. If they get a positive test that young fella will never be employed again. He could have mistakenly been at a party and taken a medication and we’re going to penalise him for the rest of his life because of something he did.

“If you’re an inter-county player and say you’re a garda or a teacher or a doctor and you test positive for a substance not only will you be banned for two years your job is at risk. For something that can be innocuous, you could be at a function or at a party where dope is present and if it’s in your urine the penalty is huge and I’m not sure of the gain. I think there’s an awful lot of money being spent on it.”