Greens deal to speed up inquiries on sport doping - Brisbane Times

Suspected sporting drug cheats will be forced to submit to interviews after an 11th-hour deal was struck between the Gillard government and the Greens to ratchet up the powers of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

The new law - to be rushed through Parliament by Thursday - will give the stuttering investigation new life, with up to 50 NRL players now in the sights of ASADA.

Fourteen Cronulla players are yet to be interviewed despite the ''blackest day in sport'' matter dragging into its second month since it was announced.

It is understood a deal was struck late on Tuesday in which the government agreed to water down key aspects of its ASADA Amendment Bill in return for the support of the Greens.

That should speed inquiries into Manly, Newcastle, North Queensland, Canberra and Penrith - all named by the Australian Crime Commission's report into doping and potential links to crime figures and match-fixing.

The proposed law to beef-up ASADA's powers was derailed last week when the Greens and the Coalition declared the government was reaching for ''invasive'' powers, including the removal of the privilege against self-incrimination.

Greens senator Richard Di Natale, who led negotiations with Sports Minister Kate Lundy, complained suspected rapists and murderers would have more legal rights if the law was passed.

Under the amended bill, players would be compelled to answer questions or face fines of more than $5000. They will also be afforded the right to not answer questions if they incriminate the interviewee and will be able to take legal representatives with them to interviews.

A further protection has been added in which the Anti-Doping Rule Violation Panel, which was established at the same time as ASADA as a check on the authority, would have to agree before investigators could approach players.

ASADA declined to comment but chief executive Aurora Andruska said last week 25 per cent more convictions would have been recorded in the past year alone if the authority had been able to compel compliance in its investigations.