NZ Police not involved in Oz doping investigation

The Australian Crime Commission found evidence of widespread doping within professional sports and links to organised crime. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand police say they had no involvement in a year-long doping investigation in Australia which uncovered evidence the practice was rife in professional sports across the Tasman.

An Australian Crime Commission (ACC) report, released this week, found evidence of widespread doping within professional sports and links to organised crime groups.
A New Zealand police spokesman said they had not been involved in the commission's investigation.

"However we have a well established relationship with the ACC and no issues have been raised with us by their investigation team about potential offending in New Zealand."

"If anyone has relevant information about such offending in New Zealand then we would ask them to contact police in this country.''

The New Zealand Olympic Committee said in a statement yesterday that New Zealand sport has an international reputation for integrity and ethics and the vast majority of New Zealand athletes competed cleanly.

But they were concerned about the reports of systematic cheating in a country with close sporting ties to New Zealand and called for increased vigilance and awareness.

"The organisation will now take steps to work with lead sporting and anti-doping bodies in New Zealand to assess the implications of the Australian report and take any additional steps to ensure the protection of athletes and prevention of cheating,'' the statement said.

"The New Zealand Olympic Committee will also continue to coordinate its efforts with Drug Free Sport New Zealand in calling for increasingly targeted and evidence-based anti-doping measures through the review of the World Anti-Doping Agency code currently underway.''