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Organisational overview

• Organisational overview
• Why is ASDA needed

Organisational overview

ASDA coordinates Australia’s anti-doping program through a holistic approach that encompasses drug testing, education and advocacy services. This approach deters athletes and their support personnel from engaging in banned doping practices.

ASDA's vision of Pure Performance in Sport is the foundation of the Agency’s strategies and programs. Pure Performance in Sport involves athletes and their support staff complying with sports’ anti-doping rules and upholding the values of competition free from banned doping practices.

ASDA utilises expert knowledge of anti-doping issues, develops targeted interventions, and adopts best practice in its anti-doping and support services to sport. Internationally ASDA advocates for, and directly contributes to, an enhanced response to doping.

ASDA's vision of Pure Performance in Sport is the foundation of the agency’s strategies and programs.

ASDA provides fee-for-service programs to almost all professional sports bodies in Australia.

The Agency’s high quality drug testing program is compliant with the ISO 9001:2000 and ISDC standards.

ASDA’s central office is located in Canberra with permanent staff also based in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide. ASDA has casual employees based in Perth, Tasmania and some regional areas of Australia.

ASDA’s central office in Canberra.

The Agency is a Government statutory authority formed under the Australian Sports Drug Agency Act 1990 (the ASDA Act). ASDA reports to the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator the Hon. Rod Kemp.

ASDA provides advice directly to the Minister on drugs in sport matters and contributes to advice prepared and coordinated through the Arts and Sport division of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA).

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Why is ASDA needed

Sport is a powerful and important cultural force in Australia that promotes good health and the spirit of ethical competition.

Doping is the use of a prohibited substance or method to unfairly enhance sporting performance. Doping degrades the value of sport by creating artificially enhanced performances and can damage athletes’ health.

Doping is recognised worldwide by administrators, governments, athletes and the media as one of the biggest threats to the future of sport.

ASDA was created in 1990 as an independent statutory authority.

Since then other countries such as Canada, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the United States have implented independent anti-doping organisations similar in structure to that of ASDA.

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