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AFL illicit drugs policy and responsible use of alcohol strategy
Abstracts / Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 14S (2011) e1–e119
struction as being risk factors for hamstring injury. It showed a conflicting relationship of player interchanges to risk of hamstring injury whereby high levels of interchange afforded protection to the individual players who were interchanged but conferred an increase in risk on players in the opposition team. Conclusion: Interchange use increases the risk of hamstring injury in the opposition team, through mechanisms not explored in this study but possibly related to changing relative levels of fatigue between the index player and his opponent(s). This increase in risk is despite interchange use being protective for the player(s) who make them. Interchange use substantially increased over the period 2003–2010 along with a slight but gradual increase in risk of hamstring injury. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2011.11.072 71 AFL illicit drugs policy and responsible use of alcohol strategy P. Harcourt AFL Medical Commissioner, Australia Introduction: The AFL has 2 anti doping policies or rules – the Anti Doping Code (ADC) and the Illicit Drugs Policy (IDP). The ADC is compliant with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) Code, its primary purpose being the management of performance enhancing drugs in sporting competition. During 2004 the AFL decided to introduce an IDP to augment the ADC and better manage the abuse of illicit substances by players. After wide consultation with the AFL community including clubs, club doctors, AFLPA and players as well as industry experts and industry peak bodies the IDP was launched in February 2005. It was based on the harm minimisation approach – confidentiality, intervention, education and rehabilitation – based on a three strikes approach where the third detection results in an open hearing. Since 2005 there has been an increase in the number of tests (472 in 2005 to 16 in 2010) and a reduction in the incidence of illicit substance detections (4.03% in 2005 to 0.39% in 2010) indicating significant behaviour change in the player group. Alcohol is a key aspect to occasional illicit drug use. Alcohol is a significant cause of morbidity (72,000 hospitalisations pa) and mortality (3100 deaths pa) in the Australian community. AFL players have a high incidence of risky alcohol consumption (51% binge drink, 26% practice ‘at risk’ drinking behaviour, in some cases drink cards are provided at night clubs and 26% of players reported having had an altercation while drinking). In 2005 the AFL commenced researching the alcohol consumption behaviour of players as the first phase of a Responsible Use of Alcohol Strategy. The five phases were Research (2005–06), Policy Development (2007–08), Policy Implementation and Innovation (2009–10), Review and Performance evaluation (2011–12) and Industry-wide behaviour change (2012). A wide range of projects have been imple-
e35
mented from policy to grass roots as a means of impacting ‘at risk’ alcohol consumption. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2011.11.073 72 Development and implementation of a concussion management strategy for Australian Football G. Davis 1,2,∗ , M. Makdissi 3,4 , P. McCrory 5,6 1 Department of Neurosurgery, Cabrini Hospital, Melbourne,
Australia 2 Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 3 Melbourne Brain Centre, Florey Neurosciences Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia 4 Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre, Melbourne, Australia 5 Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia 6 Melbourne Brain Centre, Melbourne, Australia Introduction: The management of concussion has evolved significantly over the past decade. The development of international guidelines and a desire to establish a leading position stimulated the local development and implementation of guidelines for the management of concussion in Australian Football. This process required analysis of existing data on concussion management in AFL, and synthesis of this data, in conjunction with published international guidelines, into practical guidelines that accommodate the unique elements of Australian Football, whilst conforming to the scientific evidence from the published international guidelines. Methodology: The authors, active participants in the international meetings on concussion in sport, assessed the existing data on the management of concussion in AFL. Based upon significant evidence from the literature, we drafted guidelines for the management of concussion in AFL. In conjunction with the Australian Football League Medical Officers Association (AFLMOA) these guidelines were subjected to an intensive review process, and were approved by the AFLMOA and subsequently the AFL. A national roll out of the AFL concussion guidelines coincided with publication of guidelines for general practitioners. The implementation of the new concussion management paradigm was enhanced by guidelines issued by the AFL. Results: The 2011 AFL season saw the successful implementation of the AFL concussion guidelines. In conjunction with the interchange and substitution rules, the management of concussed players has developed, and is consistent with recommendations from the international guidelines. Conclusion: The careful, considered management of concussion is critical for the long-term welfare of all footballers. Development and implementation of these guidelines has been successful at all levels, but will require evolution as new concussion data emerge. The pathway from draft paper to published guidelines provides an insight into the translation
struction as being risk factors for hamstring injury. It showed a conflicting relationship of player interchanges to risk of hamstring injury whereby high levels of interchange afforded protection to the individual players who were interchanged but conferred an increase in risk on players in the opposition team. Conclusion: Interchange use increases the risk of hamstring injury in the opposition team, through mechanisms not explored in this study but possibly related to changing relative levels of fatigue between the index player and his opponent(s). This increase in risk is despite interchange use being protective for the player(s) who make them. Interchange use substantially increased over the period 2003–2010 along with a slight but gradual increase in risk of hamstring injury. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2011.11.072 71 AFL illicit drugs policy and responsible use of alcohol strategy P. Harcourt AFL Medical Commissioner, Australia Introduction: The AFL has 2 anti doping policies or rules – the Anti Doping Code (ADC) and the Illicit Drugs Policy (IDP). The ADC is compliant with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) Code, its primary purpose being the management of performance enhancing drugs in sporting competition. During 2004 the AFL decided to introduce an IDP to augment the ADC and better manage the abuse of illicit substances by players. After wide consultation with the AFL community including clubs, club doctors, AFLPA and players as well as industry experts and industry peak bodies the IDP was launched in February 2005. It was based on the harm minimisation approach – confidentiality, intervention, education and rehabilitation – based on a three strikes approach where the third detection results in an open hearing. Since 2005 there has been an increase in the number of tests (472 in 2005 to 16 in 2010) and a reduction in the incidence of illicit substance detections (4.03% in 2005 to 0.39% in 2010) indicating significant behaviour change in the player group. Alcohol is a key aspect to occasional illicit drug use. Alcohol is a significant cause of morbidity (72,000 hospitalisations pa) and mortality (3100 deaths pa) in the Australian community. AFL players have a high incidence of risky alcohol consumption (51% binge drink, 26% practice ‘at risk’ drinking behaviour, in some cases drink cards are provided at night clubs and 26% of players reported having had an altercation while drinking). In 2005 the AFL commenced researching the alcohol consumption behaviour of players as the first phase of a Responsible Use of Alcohol Strategy. The five phases were Research (2005–06), Policy Development (2007–08), Policy Implementation and Innovation (2009–10), Review and Performance evaluation (2011–12) and Industry-wide behaviour change (2012). A wide range of projects have been imple-
e35
mented from policy to grass roots as a means of impacting ‘at risk’ alcohol consumption. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2011.11.073 72 Development and implementation of a concussion management strategy for Australian Football G. Davis 1,2,∗ , M. Makdissi 3,4 , P. McCrory 5,6 1 Department of Neurosurgery, Cabrini Hospital, Melbourne,
Australia 2 Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia 3 Melbourne Brain Centre, Florey Neurosciences Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia 4 Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre, Melbourne, Australia 5 Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia 6 Melbourne Brain Centre, Melbourne, Australia Introduction: The management of concussion has evolved significantly over the past decade. The development of international guidelines and a desire to establish a leading position stimulated the local development and implementation of guidelines for the management of concussion in Australian Football. This process required analysis of existing data on concussion management in AFL, and synthesis of this data, in conjunction with published international guidelines, into practical guidelines that accommodate the unique elements of Australian Football, whilst conforming to the scientific evidence from the published international guidelines. Methodology: The authors, active participants in the international meetings on concussion in sport, assessed the existing data on the management of concussion in AFL. Based upon significant evidence from the literature, we drafted guidelines for the management of concussion in AFL. In conjunction with the Australian Football League Medical Officers Association (AFLMOA) these guidelines were subjected to an intensive review process, and were approved by the AFLMOA and subsequently the AFL. A national roll out of the AFL concussion guidelines coincided with publication of guidelines for general practitioners. The implementation of the new concussion management paradigm was enhanced by guidelines issued by the AFL. Results: The 2011 AFL season saw the successful implementation of the AFL concussion guidelines. In conjunction with the interchange and substitution rules, the management of concussed players has developed, and is consistent with recommendations from the international guidelines. Conclusion: The careful, considered management of concussion is critical for the long-term welfare of all footballers. Development and implementation of these guidelines has been successful at all levels, but will require evolution as new concussion data emerge. The pathway from draft paper to published guidelines provides an insight into the translation