✦ Plain-English Summary

Sport Integrity Australia Amendment (World Anti-Doping Code Review) 2020

What it does

This bill updates Australia's anti-doping rules to align with changes made to the World Anti-Doping Code. It expands who can be tested for drugs in sport — not just athletes and their support staff, but also other people involved in sports administration who have promised to follow anti-doping policies.

Why it matters

Australia's anti-doping system was getting out of step with international standards. Updating it keeps Australian sport credible on the world stage and closes loopholes where certain people involved in sport could avoid testing.

Key details

• Who's affected: The bill creates a new category called "non-participants" — people like officials, coaches, or administrators bound by a sports body's anti-doping rules — and brings them under the testing scheme
• Definition update: Athletes are now defined more clearly as anyone who's competed in the last 6 months and is subject to Australia's National Anti-Doping scheme
• When it starts: The law takes effect on a date the government sets by proclamation, but automatically kicks in after 6 months if they haven't specified a date

Official Description

Amends the: Sports Integrity Australia Act 2020 to implement revisions to the World Anti-Doping Code by: introducing a new category of person (non-participant) who may be subject to the National Anti-Doping Scheme; broadening the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sport Integrity Australia to not publish details of violations committed by athletes who compete for recreational purposes, or if the CEO believes an athlete does not have the mental capacity to understand the anti-doping rules; broadening the situations where the CEO may respond to public comment on unfinalised matters; and amending the definition of athlete to include persons who competed in sport within the last six months; and National Sports Tribunal Act 2019 to make consequential amendments.

Committee Referrals

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.