Susie O’Neill Fights For Drug “Passports”

June 8. NOW retiredm Australia's Susie O'Neill
has embraced her new role as an Athletes Commission
member on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with the same determination she showed in the pool. Her mission is drug education and she is leading a
campaign to introduce compulsory drug-testing passports
for every international athlete.

O'Neill was elected an IOC member with full voting rights last September and at her first meeting in Switzerland presented the Australian Sports Drug
Agency's pioneering passport research to the Athletes
Commission. "I am not sure exactly where it will go from here," she said.

"We have another commission meeting in Moscow in July. I am confident of convincing them that some sort of drug-testing history on paper or by electronic means is essential. I will continue to work and do what it takes to make passports containing an individual's drug-testing history compulsory. The athletes of Australia support this. Of 421 surveyed in July, 98 per cent agreed it was a good idea."

O'Neill will attend the IOC session in Moscow where members will vote for the new president and the 2008 Olympic host city. While there is a push within the Athletes Commission to overlook favorite Beijing on the basis of political freedom, O'Neill said: "We
will discuss it at our next meeting. I haven't made up my mind on that or the new IOC president."

O'Neill has steered clear of making public statements on contentious political issues involving the IOC but will be no wallflower at the discussion table.

"I am really enjoying my new role," she said. "It has
secured my Olympic future for the next eight years."

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