Tough anti-doping laws will be introduced next month to get New Zealand in line with the rest of the world as more emphasis goes on those associating with known drug cheats.
The rules reflect the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2015 world anti-doping code and have been introduced by Drug Free Sport New Zealand.
The changes, which come into force on January 1, include a four-year ban for first offenders, up from two years, and all team support staff also being included in the rules.
DFSNZ chief executive Graham Steel said the rules were a lot tougher and were good for those athletes who were clean.
There had been a push to have a life ban for first offenders but, in the end, there were concerns about human rights issues in other parts of the world. Steel said four years was a good compromise.
''That means if one athlete gets caught at one Olympics then they will not be able to compete in the next Olympics,'' he said.
''I think at the women's 100m at the London Olympics over half the field were coming off bans. With this new rules they won't be able to compete,'' he said.
He said the ability to penalise athletes for associating with known drug cheats was more than overdue.
''You look at the London Olympics and you had Victor Conte, who was associated with the Balco scandal, walking around the athletes' village.
"This new rule means if an athlete is seen with someone like him we can warn them and, if it continues, the athlete can be penalised.''
Conte ran a medical laboratory used by disgraced Olympic sprinter Marian Jones among others.
Steel said the new rules widened the number of support personnel which could be covered under the rules.
''So if you have a doctor who treats a Super 15 team then he is subject to these rules. Even if he justs assists the team he must be subject to these rules. That will mean someone like Stephen Dank could not claim he is outside the system.''
Dank was part of the Cronulla support staff for a short period in 2011 and was implicated in a controversial supplement scheme.
Steel said the role of the agency had changed with more emphasis on gathering intelligence rather than simply doing drug testing.
New Zealand athletes were by and large clean but there was still a massive temptation out there.
''There are kids in South Auckland who know if they can put on 5kg then they might have a wonderful sporting career.''
Anti-doping laws
In force from January 1
Key changes introduced as a result of the new anti-doping rules in New Zealand.-
• Longer bans of up to four years for a first offence for those who dope intentionally.
• Penalties for athletes who associate with anyone who has previously committed a doping offence.
• Sanctions for those who help to cover-up doping.
• An extension of the anti-doping rules to cover athlete support personnel.
