Generalisations ‘harm innocent athletes’

Press, 27 June 1989, Page 29

Generalisations ‘harm innocent athletes’

PA Wellington Innuendo over drug use in track and field places an unfair cloud over innocent athletes, a former Commonwealth Games silver medallist Dave Norris said yesterday. Norris was speaking after Sunday’s Frontline television programme which investigated the extent of drug use in New Zealand sport. Among some athletes who have admitted using steroids was an Olympic representative hammer thrower, Murray Cheater, of Rotorua, whose 13-year-old New Zealand record of 71.20 m was shattered only last week by Aucklander Angus Cooper’s 73.96 m in the United States. The Christchurch Commonwealth Games discus gold medallist, Robin Tait, who died in 1985, was also mentioned as a well-known steroids user.

The super heavyweight weightlifter, Graham May — another 1974 Games gold medal winner — admitted he was using steroids for five years before his retirement in 1975. Other, unidentified, coaches and athletes also admitted to either knowing of drug use or being involved in it. Norris, a long and triple

jumper who represented New Zealand at Olympic and Commonwealth Games level until his retirement in 1977, says these unspecified generalisations are dangerous. "It will leave a question mark over any athlete who is successful now. People are going to assume they’re cheating in some way,” he said.

"But there is enough evidence that New Zealand athletes, including throwers, are absolutely clean and succeeding at a very high level.” One of New Zealand’s top athletes, decathlete Simon Poelman of Auckland, was reluctant to comment yesterday on the issue beyond saying he was "shocked” at the apparent extent of drug use in this country. “I’m not even willing to talk about it — personally, I’m pretty sick of the whole thing,” the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games bronze medallist said.

Norris classes as damaging, comments made by an unidentified coach, who on television said he saw an unnamed athlete taking steroids in the 19705. The athlete was identified only as a “medal winner”.

“These sort of general statements are grossly unfair.

I take exception to them because I won a medal at Commonwealth Games level, and I’ve never been involved in drugs,” Norris said. "And as a national coach now I wouldn’t tolerate it in my athletes.”

The Auckland promoter said he welcomed introduction of the random drugtesting programme, beginning next month as part of the build-up to the 1990 Commonwealth Games. "It will remove the last vestige of temptation for any athlete still considering taking drugs.”

The athletic association chairman, Peter Richards, also pointed to the drugtesting programme as proof that positive steps were being taken to combat drugs in sport.

"There’s only a very small percentage in New Zealand sport involved in drug taking, and these athletes will be going to ground. They won’t be able to trust anybody.”

Mr Richards said he had heard only occasional whispers about drug abuse in track and field. “But administrators are always the last people to be told. A lot of administrators don’t work in the same areas their athletes do.”