Monday which indicated a good deal of apathy surrounding the development of a drug-free sports policy for Bermuda. We reported that 20 representatives of national sport bodies voted 14-6 for an amended version of the policy but 16 national bodies were not represented at the Ministry of Youth Development, Sport and Recreation conference held at Bermuda College.

The drug free sports policy clearly requires general support, not only from sports bodies but from the players and the public. Without that support it will simply become something to which lip service is given but which is widely ignored. But more than that the push for the policy must come from inside sport or it cannot succeed. It is difficult to believe that sporting bodies would not do everything they can to protect their players from drugs of any kind and that they would not want to combat spectator use.

The public debate about drugs in sport has been a long one fired by some thoroughly embarrassing and dramatic incidents. Officials of the sports bodies must be anxious to work with their players and the Ministry to get drugs out of sport. Instead they seem to be dragging their feet. Signing a vow to clean up sport is not a great deal to ask.

The policy is not harsh. It is a four-pronged approach based on education, drug testing, research and treatment. It comes to Bermuda via a consultant from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.

However there is still hope. The Ministry responsible for sport seems determined to come to grips with the problem even to the point of removing Government recognition and Government funding from those bodies which are unwilling to take a stand. There is also, of course, a brand new Minister, Dr.

David Dyer, at Youth, Sport and Recreation who is quoted as having vowed to "continue on with the policies and strategies that have already begun''.

Dr. Dyer will be aware that a major concern of the people of Bermuda is drug abuse which he and his government must move to combat. Sports teams and the people in competitive sport become role models and if they are involved in drugs, or generally thought to be involved in drugs, the example set for young people is corrosive. Athletes have influence and they set examples, good or bad.

There is also hope in the fact that the Island's two largest sports groups, the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control and the Bermuda Football Association, were particularly supportive of the policy. They must take the lead in getting general acceptance for this policy.

However the kind of apathy demonstrated at Bermuda College should not be a surprise. It is what happens when politicians do not send a clear anti-drug message. We all know that there has been an easily discernible softness in the Progressive Labour Party's message on drugs and a lack of support from the PLP for Dr. David Archibald's efforts and for those of the National Drug Commission. The Country should speak with one voice on drugs.