the whistle on drugs in sport, Sports Minister Tim Smith claimed yesterday.

And drugs testing for athletes, stiffer penalties as well as rehabilitation programmes and education are all on the cards.

A mission statement on the issue is to be unveiled as the Ministry of Youth and Sport's New Year's Resolution.

Mr. Smith said the statement was the result of a National Drug-Free Sports Conference held last weekend.

More than 60 representatives of sports bodies and clubs attended the Stonington Beach Hotel conference.

And Mr. Smith said: "I would encourage any sports bodies or clubs which weren't at the conference to join up.'' He ruled out any legislation forcing sporting bodies to draw up their own strategies -- but sent a veiled warning on funding for the odd men out.

Mr. Smith said: "In the future we will be looking very seriously at organisations which don't have drugs-free policies.'' The conference discussed funding, civil rights of athletes confidentiality and the images of individual sports.

Mr. Smith said that among the main issues of concern were dealing with the sale of alcohol and excessive drinking at sporting events, the need to establish a central organisation to work for drug-free sport, random drug testing, spectators and drug use and the problem of parents who use sports training as day care centres for their youngsters.

And he stressed that a united front would be needed from all clubs and governing bodies to ensure success of the policy.

Mr. Smith said: "Delegates at the conference recognised that alcohol consumption by spectators is a problem.

"This is a real issue which clubs are prepared to wrestle with now and it's an issue more and more organisations are no longer prepared to sit by and accept as a fact. They want to do something.'' Mr. Smith said he accepted drinks firms were big sponsors of sport and clubs and events could make large sums from the sale of alcohol -- but insisted clubs and groups were prepared to make changes.

And he added that it was hoped to push a positive message to sports fans by using sporting heroes as drug-free role models.

The mission statement on drugs will be unveiled for consideration and ratification at the annual sports conference hosted by the Ministry on January 24 and 25 next year.