Sue Howland

Sue Howland (born 4 September 1960) is an Australian javelin thrower whose best result was a gold medal at the 1982 Commonwealth Games.[1] Howland won the Australian Junior (under 20) Javelin throw in 1977 and 1978. Her international career began in 1981 with the Pacific Conference Games and continued to the 1992 IAAF World Cup.

Sue Howland
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1960-04-09) 9 April 1960
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event(s)Javelin
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Australia
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place1982 BrisbaneWomen's javelin throw
Bronze medal – third place1986 EdinburghWomen's javelin throw
Silver medal – second place1990 AucklandWomen's javelin throw

She tried to retain her title at the 1986 Commonwealth Games, but ended up third behind England's Tessa Sanderson and Fatima Whitbread. In 1987, just prior to the Rome World Championships, Howland was ranked third in the world for her event and was a medal prospect.[2] However, after having been detected taking banned drugs, she was disqualified from competition for 2 years just prior to the championships.[3] In September 1987, Howland tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.[4]

After serving a two-year disqualification for using performance-enhancing drugs, Howland returned to competition in 1989 and in 1990 she won the silver medal in the 1990 Commonwealth Games javelin throw.

Howland's career personal best was a throw of 69.80 metres in 1986.[5]

Role in doping in Australia

Howland has been credited with being one of a select few Australian athletes who openly admitted to using drugs and explaining the culture of drug use in the sport. Howland and another former Australian Institute of Sport athlete Gael Martin, along with AIS coach Kevin Giles, appeared on the ABC Four Corners program on 30 November 1987 on a segment entitled "The Winning Edge" which examined the use of anabolic steroids in Australia. The two athletes and coach suggested that if an athlete wanted to do well at an elite level it was necessary to use ergogenic aids, and asserted drug use was widespread internationally. It was this segment, which implied use of steroids at the AIS facility, that led to the eventual Senate enquiry in drugs in sport in Australia.[6][7] The Channel 9 Sunday Program reported that "To date she is about the only athlete who never denied taking drugs.[8]" She gave voluntary evidence at the Senate Enquiry into drug use in Australian Sport in 1990. This enquiry led to the establishment of the independent Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority just one year after the completion of the enquiry.

The Senate report (known as the "Black" report after Senator John Black) found that Maurie Plant had asked Jane Flemming to provide a urine sample to substitute for Sue Howland's sample for a drug test.[9]

References
  1. "Suzanne 'Sue' Howland". Athletics Australia. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  2. "Javelin Thrower Barred". The New York Times. 3 September 1987. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. "Drugs in Sport". Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2015. "Channel 9 Sunday program"
  4. The Associated Press, "Woman javelin thrower Tests positive for steroids" Archived 6 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Gainesville Sun, 3 September 1987
  5. "Sue Howland athlete profile". Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  6. Bloomfield, J. (2003). Australia's Sporting Success: The Inside Story. UNSW Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-86840-582-7.
  7. Bloomfield, J. (2003). Australia's Sporting Success: The Inside Story. UNSW Press. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-86840-582-7.
  8. "Drugs in Sport". Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2015. "Channel 9 Sunday program"
  9. Australian Parliament Senate Committee, "Jane Flemming asked to provide a substitute urine sample for Sue Howland" Archived 26 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine, The Black Report page 22, May1989
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