Following on from my post last week regarding in-house testing programmes sweeping the sporting world including those of the NFL, AFL and ARL, the flaws of such programmes are becoming even more evident.

A cynic will argue that there are ulterior motives at work; image protection and/or protection rather than exposure of cheats. In-house testing for these groups in particular involves testing for illicit drugs such as cocaine and marihuana but according to WADA rules illicit drugs are treated the same as any other banned drug. That is, they are classed as performance-enhancing.

After all, cocaine is a stimulant just like caffeine only stronger, and marijuana, a pain suppressant, is akin to pain-killing injections (which, by the way, should also be banned). Some critics may say that it should not be the business of anyone to go after illicit drugs in sport because they are not performance enhancing. I say to them go and have a cold shower. They are performance enhancing; the psychedelic affects are a mere bonus.

In fact we could have a whole other debate on what is a true performance-enhancing drug and what isn’t. Drugs like cocaine and marijuana don’t alter so much the body in that it doesn’t enhance something that is already there. The drugs themselves produce the effect, whereas other banned drugs change things that are already there: steroids increase muscle mass, growth hormones supposedly the same (but has not been clearly proven) and EPO increases blood production and therefore increases oxygen-carrying capacity.

In other words the latter drugs don’t improve performance of themselves but induce changes in the body which can contribute to better performance. Their effect is ‘indirect.' There is a sound argument, then, that drugs like cocaine and marijuana are true performance enhancers compared to other drugs.

That athletes may be dabbling in illicit drugs in the first place seems to have escaped many - and that an important fact may have been overlooked with in-house testing. That is that the use of illicit drugs like cocaine is a criminal offence. Well, it was the last time I looked at Australian (and USA) laws.

Then it follows that if someone has tested positive for cocaine, it implies possession, a bit like Random Breath Testing which implies alcohol use (and therefore possession of alcohol but which is not an offence unless under-aged). So are we to assume that those caught so far were held down against their wishes and given a shot of cocaine or marijuana (or alcohol), i.e. they were not in possession of the drug and therefore could not be punished under civil law? According to the AFL in particular, it does not constitute any ‘offence’, either legal or sporting, until a player has registered three positive results.

There is a glaring double standard at play here; a sportsperson can shoot up and escape any real penalty while the average Joe, if caught, incurs (not always, though) the wrath of civil law. Even more ridiculous when you think that AFL players can shoot up and face few consequences, have a five-dollar punt and get severe treatment while the general public can have a punt on AFL games and face no consequences and for those stupid enough to shoot up, face criminal punishment. Diametrically opposed outcomes.

Whichever way you look at it there appears to be one rule for the sports community and another for the general community. The AFL, and indeed all other sporting organisations or groups either doing or thinking about in-house testing, should think twice, not only because it has not worked in the past but because of the appalling double standards it sets.

And this does nothing to encourage our sporting youth to play clean. Indeed, there is the very real risk of turning athletes not only into cheats but also addicts because they are hidden from the drug police and the ‘real’ police. The exact opposite result these sporting groups would have us believe that in-house testing would prevent.

It seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. In-house testing is for ‘inside’ dopes!

Robin Parisotto is a former Australian Institute of Sport anti-doping researcher and the author of Blood Sports – the inside dope on drugs in sport.