Sub-elite athletes at risk of drugs

So-called sub-elite athletes are at increasing risk of succumbing to the lures of performance enhancing drugs, one of Australia's most senior anti-doping officers has warned.

Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority head of intelligence Simon Henry said the internet, falling trade barriers, image obsession and society's growing "medicalisation" were driving the use of often banned substances.

Addressing a forum in Perth about integrity in sport, Mr Henry said doping was still a relatively minor problem in the Australian sporting landscape, even at the elite level.

However, he said there were growing risks athletes at the "sub-elite" level - such as WA Football League players, grade cricketers and amateur rugby players - would turn to it looking for an advantage.

He said the problem had become particularly pronounced in the past 10 years, with the amount of steroids seized at Australia's borders surging 600 per cent since 2005. Damian Voltz, a senior intelligence analyst at the Australian Crime Commission, said local sports were also under threat from infiltration by organised criminal elements.

Mr Voltz said there were growing numbers of cases in which criminal gangs had compromised an athlete or a club by preying on their vulnerabilities.

Mr Voltz said criminals could use an athlete's gambling addiction as leverage over them.

Other vulnerabilities might include drug addiction or personal relationships, which could be used to corrupt games.

Department of Sport and Recreation director-general Ron Alexander said increasing awareness of sporting integrity issues meant education campaigns to help stamp out threats were more effective.

Sport Minister Mia Davies said while winning was important, integrity in sport was crucial, which is why the department had a dedicated officer and strategies designed to uphold it.

West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett refused to comment.