Ministers and hon members, the core purpose of this Bill is both simple and important as it seeks to ensure that athletes compete fairly, without using substances that boost their performance. Having said that, the Bill has changed fairly dramatically from its original form. Although there were a number of amendments made to the Bill, I intend to mention only two of them.
Firstly, the Bill was amended to comply with the international standards as well as policies and requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code. South Africa is not an island, that's why we hosted the Rugby World Cup and that's why we will be hosting the Soccer World Cup in 2010. It is thus only natural that we have a duty to reflect the standards that apply to the rest of the world.
Ukwenza kuhle umsebenzi wethu njengamaSewula Afrika, kufanele siphalisane neenarha zoke ephasini mazombe. [To perform our tasks effectively as South Africans, we must compete against all countries of the world.]
The Bill was amended to allow the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport to search for and seize illegal substances - along with the SA Police Service. As the situation stands, only the SAPS can formally search a person or property and seize illegal substances. Obviously, the SA Institute for Drug- Free Sport should have a similar authority if it is to effectively fulfil its mandate.
The SAPS is overstretched as it is, and fighting drug abuse in sport is certainly low on their list of priorities. That doesn't mean that this is an insignificant problem and that the institute must fill the gap that the SAPS is currently unable to deal with.
Further, the current pressure on the SAPS does not only relate to manpower but also to its resources. Our forensic laboratories are hamstrung by massive backlogs. Allowing the institute to assist will also create a greater capacity to test any substances seized, and determine their nature.
Besides this Bill, there are a number of other challenges facing the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport. The first one is that its role should not only be limited to enforcing and testing, but should also aim to educate athletes about prohibited substances and their effects. It should not only educate professional athletes, but also people who are aspiring to become professional athletes in the future. As the chairperson said, it must start at the lower level.
Lokhu kuzokufundisa abagijimi abasakhasako bonyana bazwisise ukuqakatheka kwe-SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport, nokobana ihlangano le ayisilo inaba labo, kodwana kuyihlangano evikela bona nemidlalo yenarha mazombe. (Translation of isiNdebele paragraph follows.)
[This will teach the up-and-coming athletes to understand the importance of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, and that this organisation is not their enemy, but is an organisation that protects them and sport in the whole country.]
Secondly, the penalty for using prohibited substances by an athlete should be the same in all spheres of sport. The institute has very specific consequences for a person found to have used any prohibited substances. Those consequences should be replicated across all South African sports federations. It should not matter which sport you play: cricket, rugby or athletics. The consequence for breaking the law should be uniform. If the substance used is the same, the penalty must be the same.
The earlier a person learns about prohibited substances, the better. Athletes should have no excuse. They should know what constitutes a prohibited substance and which substances are listed as prohibited and forbidden, and they should be able to respond accordingly.
I want to register the DA's concerns. The first of the DA's two concerns with regard to this Bill is the inclusion of the clause through which the Minister of Sport is allowed to intervene, in the case of a national federation's refusal to co-operate. We know for a fact that international federations do not approve of or indeed legislate for the involvement of government in sport. This seems to be yet another example of the ANC administration's attempts to centralise power in the Minister's office.
The second matter of concern is that not all federations are members of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee or Sascoc. It seems that there is nothing that compels them to be members of Sascoc. All disputes are referred to Sascoc, but if some federations do not belong to them, how is Sascoc going to resolve that dispute?
The committee on sport is presently deliberating on the Sport and Recreation Amendment Bill. The two concerns are already captured or registered in this Bill. I hope that with this present amendment to the Bill, the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport will now be free to perform its function. I thank you. [Applause.]