The federal government will investigate allegations of a performance-enhancing drug culture at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

A group of AIS cyclists are alleged to have injected themselves with banned substances at their Adelaide base.

Sports Minister Rod Kemp, who was questioned about the matter in parliament, said he would be setting up an inquiry soon.

"This matter has got be dealt with soon," Senator Kemp told the Senate.

"It has got to be dealt with in a way which ensures that there is public confidence in the process so that we can find people who may be guilty or at least clear ... the innocent so they don't have to put up with the slurs that have been thrown around."

He said the government was seeking advice and approvals in relation to confidential material.

The claims come after disgraced AIS cyclist Mark French implicated five other riders with injecting prohibited substances, including a growth hormone for horses, in an AIS room in Adelaide's Del Monte facility.

French, suspended for two years for a drugs offence, made the comments during sworn evidence at his closed drugs hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport this month.

French was on Monday banned for life from the Olympic games by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) for trafficking in illegal substances.

AOC legal counsel Simon Rofe said he had not been advised whether French would allow his allegations involving the other riders to be used in the courts, in which case his life ban could be reduced to eight years.

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