In this episode of On Side, we talk to Nick Paterson, the Chief Executive Officer of Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) about our collective commitment to clean fair sport. “As ever there is plenty of competitiveness and banter in there, but certainly working together, collaborating, is the only way to address it (anti-doping), the only way to approach it,” Paterson says. “It’s about getting in front of athletes and working with athletes domestically, and then working internationally to raise standards and ensure that we are all competing on a level-playing field.” Like ASADA, Paterson says DFSNZ is athlete-focused, supporting athletes and sports to compete on the world stage clean. “All of our educators now are former or current athletes so they are actually out educating the teams, they can relate directly with their own stories that people can understand and talk directly to the hearts of the audience,” he says. Paterson, a former forensic accountant and fraud investigator, says DFSNZ also have confidentiality undertakings. “We have (a) very similar scenario (to ASADA), ours is actually entrenched in legislation and it says we cannot speak publically about a case or an individual until the proceedings, any proceedings, are completed, unless the athlete speaks out, unless someone else speaks out and we need to actually correct the record to some degree. But the basic premise is confidentially exists and we can’t speak, and neither can the sports, and that’s really to protect our athletes, all of our work has to be focused on the athletes, the athletes are at the centre of everything that we do. “If we have an athlete that is named and shamed before evidence has been properly considered and heard, we don’t think that’s fair, we need to give them a chance to tell their story.” Paterson says he is concerned at their research which suggests that New Zealand athletes – at all levels – are taking supplements. “We know athletes are taking them so now we’re trying to provide better information so people can make informed decisions about whether they take them or not,” he says. “At the lower levels, your Saturday afternoon footy players, what do they know about the contents of their supplement? Do they need to take it? What risks are they taking on? We just want to give people more information.” We also discuss whether athletes can refuse a drug test and look at the serious health consequences for German athletes, who were given anabolic steroids during the 1970s and 1980s. Our mission is to protect the health of athletes and the integrity of Australian sport. This podcast goes behind the scenes of ASADA and people associated with clean fair sport, it answers questions relating to anti-doping and educates you about clean fair sport. Produced by Lyndall Larkham & Tim Gavel. Recorded, edited & mixed by Ryan Micallef.
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