New Zealand's weak laws surrounding the importation and possession of performance-enhancing drugs may contravene obligations under a global treaty the country signed up to in 2007.
Under article eight of the Unesco International Convention against Doping in Sport, signatories pledge to "adopt measures to restrict the availability of prohibited substances". Those measures should include the means to "control production, movement, importation, distribution and sale" of performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs).
A Herald investigation has found some substances on the World Anti-Doping Authority banned list - in particular new-generation peptide hormones - can be easily imported into the country and in some cases are not illegal to possess.
The Herald submitted written questions to Sports Minister Murray McCully 11 days ago asking what had been done to honour New Zealand's obligations under the Unesco treaty, and what plans the Government had to review legislation regarding PIEDs. The minister, who is travelling overseas, did not respond.
Drug Free Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sports New Zealand both declined to answer questions, saying they had been asked by the minister to compile a report on the implications of the Australian Crime Commission investigation into the links between organised crime and drug use in Australian sport and it would be inappropriate to comment.