THE AFL has been urged to follow drug-tainted cycling's lead and implement a "no needle policy" in the wake of the investigation into Essendon's sports science practices.
Amid allegations Bombers players were injected with substances last year, an Australian anti-doping expert has called for the AFL to ban needles altogether - unless for a strict medical reason.
Anne Gripper, who managed the introduction of world cycling's revolutionary biological passport, said other sports should follow the example set by cycling, which banned needles in 2011.
"That was the UCI and cycling taking the lead and they needed to do it because injecting was a significant issue in the culture of the sport," said Ms Gripper who is now chief executive of Triathlon Australia.
"The concept of banning needles, unless under strict medical supervision, is fantastic. It's something other sports should consider because it (injection) is a culture of dependence - even legal substances."
The UCI's "no needle policy" which banned the injection of any substance including vitamins, sugars, amino acids and antioxidants, was introduced because of a fear it represented "an open door to doping".
According to UCI regulations, injections are only permitted with "a clear medical indication".
AFL media manager Patrick Keane yesterday told The Advertiser it was against AFL player rules to inject substances intravenously - directly into the vein.
The concept of banning needles, unless under strict medical supervision, is fantastic
But Mr Keane would not go into detail on the rule and said the media could not access it because it was not a "public document".
He did not respond to questions about whether it was against the rules for players to be injected in any part of their body - such as via an intramuscular injection - with any legal substance.
Former director for the World Anti-Doping Agency Nicki Vance said "there is a big step between taking a tablet and inserting a needle in your arm".
Ms Vance said injection of any substance was an ethical issue.
"(For) an athlete to feel as though they have to inject anything is an interesting dilemma," Ms Vance said.
"To use supplements that are safe and because they need it, fine. But from a moral or ethical point of view what it can lead to is someone being willing to take anything to get an edge."
The AFL's supplement scandal comes hot on the heels of the Federal Government last month ordering Cycling Australia (CA) to implement its own supplement policy.
The policy was one of 17 recommendations from an independent review into CA in response to the sport's doping crisis.
It would make athletes report on what supplements they were using, why and where they came from.
"(To) require athletes in high performance and development programs to report information electronically on a quarterly basis in relation to the supplements they have been using, their source and the reasons for their use," the report said.
According to the report completed by former judge James Wood QC, the policy would be designed to encourage medical and sports science staff to "promote the benefits of nutrition and training in preference to reliance on supplements".
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