WADA's $20 million (£12 million/€15.5 million) initiative - for which the International Olympic Committee has paid $10 million (£6 million/€8 million) towards - is aimed at improving the detection of prohibited substances and methods.

As Australia grapples with its own issues of doping in sport - including a continuing probe into Australian Football League side Essendon's supplements programme in 2011 and 2012 - a debate is raging about how best to tackle doping.

Coates has told Fairfax that AUD$250,000 would be a reasonable sum to fund WADA's project, providing the Government does not cut budgets elsewhere in anti-doping or sport.

The Australian Government, which is understood to still be considering its position ahead of a November 16 deadline, already commits around $15 million (£9 million/€12 million) a year to anti-doping efforts.

China has committed $1 million (£610,000/€770,000) to WADA's global Government fundraiser, and Turkey has pledged $250,000 (£153,000/€193,000).

The United States has indicated it will make $6 million (£3.5 million/€4.5 million) available over the next three years, via the Partnership for Clean Competition, a body part-funded by major professional leagues that has its own research programme.

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