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Murphy an anti-doping ambassador

By Mr Dandalooa

A new anti-doping awareness campaign that uses Western Bulldogs star Robert Murphy as an ambassador has been rolled out by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to stamp out illegal drug-taking.

A hard-hitting poster showing an athlete injecting a prohibited substance is at the centre of the campaign, recently launched by Minister for Sport Kate Ellis.

This ASADA is targeting both up-and-coming and elite athletes with the message: “You can never win your reputation back.”

Ms Ellis said the confronting poster would send the important message to athletes that doping is never okay and that your reputation, once lost, is something you can never get back.

Ms Ellis met with elite athletes to support behind the campaign including Olympic and World Champion rower Amber Halliday, Western Bulldogs star Robert Murphy and Paralympic swimmer and world record holder Matthew Cowdrey.

“Doping can ruin an athlete’s health but it can be just as damaging for an athlete’s reputation and ultimately has the potential to end careers,” she said.

The Federal Government, through the ASADA, aims to develop a sporting culture free from doping in which performance is based on an athlete’s talent determination, courage and honesty.

To achieve this, the Government works to provide a comprehensive anti-doping program for the Australian sports community, encompassing deterrence, detection and enforcement activities.

ASADA has developed its campaign based on research that shows reputation is a major concern for athletes when contemplating doping.

“We want to remind athletes that this risk is real and that doping in sport is simply not worth it,” Ms Ellis said.