Plenty has been written already on the main board about the ACC report on drugs in sport and the like which has consumed the sports media for the last 48 hours or so.
I thought it might be interesting to look at it from the perspective of a media event (which it has become).
I'm prompted to do this by a disconnect I see between the guarded language in the actual report (which at the end of the day might amount to very little in all reality), and the extreme reaction to the report.
Anyone and everyone is now an expert and is fronting the cameras, giving quotes, pontificating, despite the fact that no one knows any details (although one suspects the AFL might know a bit more, and I'll come to that in a minute).
The language in the report is quite guarded, and mixes up a lot of different concepts, almost giving the impression that it has done so to make the report more interesting - to get attention.
For example, if the ACC had just investigated Image enhancing drugs, focusing on body building and anti-aging clinics, the universal response would have been one of absolute boredom, and it would not have grabbed the Government's attention one little bit.
Well that's not good enough.
What if we mention that we found an example of an amateur rugby player procuring banned substances (one of the very few case studies mentioned).
Ok, we can imagine the Minister saying: yes, that's a bit more interesting - but it would be even more interesting if the big competitions were mentioned.
All of a sudden, we have a report talking about "potential use", "suspicions" and a "trajectory".
Oh my god - you mean there might be a potential trajectory of the use of banned substances in the AFL?!
Yes, that would appear to be the case - a potential trajectory.
Thus, we have all the major governing bodies, to a man, talking about a "wake up call" - a phrase used by more than one, and on more than one occasion.
Now I would agree, there is nothing wrong with the governing bodies being given a "wake up call" in relation to a potential trajectory - nothing wrong with that at all - but it's a bit at odds with the hysteria.
For Demetriou's part, who is assuring everyone that they will take action, etc - it poses an interesting question. With calls for all the sports to establish integrity units - guess which sport is the only one which has one? Now that's a good message to get out there amidst the hysteria (and no doubt there's more of the same in the AFL's response and the outcome they are expecting - you don't start a review unless you know the answer).
And now we see public spokesmen for both the ACC and ASADA making comments, and what do you know - they are both in line for additional government funding.
Well fancy that - who could ever have predicted that outcome, just as the Treasury is working on the 2013-14 Commonwealth budget. What a fantastic conincidence!
They would have learned a lot from the secret squirrel industry - if you cry wolf often enough - you can quadruple your government funding in the space of 5 or 6 years.
Finally, we have the Minister herself, in an election year no less, talking tough - now we've seen that before! (think police ministers in state elections)
All happy coincidences, and all of a sudden, whether anything is found at the elite level becomes by the way. At a minimum, everyone will be able to pat themselves on the back for halting the potential trajectory.
One thing I can assure you of, everyone will continue to ignore the body builders and anti-aging clinics!
I thought it might be interesting to look at it from the perspective of a media event (which it has become).
I'm prompted to do this by a disconnect I see between the guarded language in the actual report (which at the end of the day might amount to very little in all reality), and the extreme reaction to the report.
Anyone and everyone is now an expert and is fronting the cameras, giving quotes, pontificating, despite the fact that no one knows any details (although one suspects the AFL might know a bit more, and I'll come to that in a minute).
The language in the report is quite guarded, and mixes up a lot of different concepts, almost giving the impression that it has done so to make the report more interesting - to get attention.
For example, if the ACC had just investigated Image enhancing drugs, focusing on body building and anti-aging clinics, the universal response would have been one of absolute boredom, and it would not have grabbed the Government's attention one little bit.
Well that's not good enough.
What if we mention that we found an example of an amateur rugby player procuring banned substances (one of the very few case studies mentioned).
Ok, we can imagine the Minister saying: yes, that's a bit more interesting - but it would be even more interesting if the big competitions were mentioned.
All of a sudden, we have a report talking about "potential use", "suspicions" and a "trajectory".
Oh my god - you mean there might be a potential trajectory of the use of banned substances in the AFL?!
Yes, that would appear to be the case - a potential trajectory.
Thus, we have all the major governing bodies, to a man, talking about a "wake up call" - a phrase used by more than one, and on more than one occasion.
Now I would agree, there is nothing wrong with the governing bodies being given a "wake up call" in relation to a potential trajectory - nothing wrong with that at all - but it's a bit at odds with the hysteria.
For Demetriou's part, who is assuring everyone that they will take action, etc - it poses an interesting question. With calls for all the sports to establish integrity units - guess which sport is the only one which has one? Now that's a good message to get out there amidst the hysteria (and no doubt there's more of the same in the AFL's response and the outcome they are expecting - you don't start a review unless you know the answer).
And now we see public spokesmen for both the ACC and ASADA making comments, and what do you know - they are both in line for additional government funding.
Well fancy that - who could ever have predicted that outcome, just as the Treasury is working on the 2013-14 Commonwealth budget. What a fantastic conincidence!
They would have learned a lot from the secret squirrel industry - if you cry wolf often enough - you can quadruple your government funding in the space of 5 or 6 years.
Finally, we have the Minister herself, in an election year no less, talking tough - now we've seen that before! (think police ministers in state elections)
All happy coincidences, and all of a sudden, whether anything is found at the elite level becomes by the way. At a minimum, everyone will be able to pat themselves on the back for halting the potential trajectory.
One thing I can assure you of, everyone will continue to ignore the body builders and anti-aging clinics!
