International Anti-Doping Leaders call on watershed opportunity to reform Anti-Doping System
International Anti-Doping Leaders call on watershed opportunity to reform Anti-Doping System
Sport Ireland today joined the leaders of 19 other National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss meaningful reforms to the anti-doling system in advance of the WADA Presidential election.
Speaking after the meeting, Sport Ireland Chief Executive, John Treacy, said: “We are entering into a critical phase in the fight against doping, with the WADA Presidential elections on the horizon. The single biggest doping scandal, as uncovered by the McLaren Report, is still a very real issue. The new President of WADA must act in the interests of clean athletes and keep this issue on the table until such time as all presumptive positive samples in the Moscow laboratory are investigated in a full and transparent manner”.
Sport Ireland Director of Participation and Ethics, Dr Una May, added: “Today’s meeting was an important opportunity for NADO leaders to discuss the best way forward for the international anti-doping system. There are a number of fundamental changes which need to happen in order for confidence in the system to be restored; none more so than the full implementation of the Copenhagen Proposals put forward to WADA by the NADOs. Conflicts of interests need to be removed if clean athlete’s globally are to trust the system and know that decisions taken are in their best interests.”
The full statement of the National Anti-Doping Organisations reads:
International Anti-Doping Leaders call on watershed opportunity to reform Anti-Doping System
• Ahead of the Anti-Doping Symposium, NADO leaders met in Lausanne, Switzerland to discuss meaningful reforms to the anti-doping system in advance of the WADA Presidential election;
• Leaders call on WADA Presidential Candidates to publicly commit to:
- Further support the general principles of the 2016 Copenhagen Reform Proposals that call on the global regulator to become more independent, transparent and adopt best governance practices;
- Standing “shoulder to shoulder” with athlete community, following the recent rise in athlete voice;
-Ensuring an exhaustive, transparent and thorough accounting of the data from the Moscow laboratory and the pursuit of justice against all involved.
The leaders of the National Anti-Doping Organizations came together in Lausanne, Switzerland today at a crucial time to discuss the current state of clean sport.
Meeting on the eve of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Annual Symposium, the message emanating from the meeting was clear: now is the time for WADA to grasp this unique opportunity to reform the anti-doping system as it prepares to appoint the fourth President in its history. How the anti-doping community chooses to react, leaders said, will determine the direction of the anti-doping system for years to come; and making the right decisions is essential if public and athlete faith in the global regulator is to be restored.
The NADO leaders call on WADA Presidential Candidates to expressly commit to three critical points. First, WADA governance revisions must go further to fully implement the reforms detailed in the Copenhagen Proposals. By removing potential conflicts of interest within WADA’s current governance structure, the organization will increase its credibility in the eyes of its most important stakeholders: clean athletes.
Second, WADA Presidential Candidates should demonstrate how they will be fully committed to meaningful engagement with the athletes of the world. For too long, there has been no effective mechanism to allow for the voice of clean athletes to be heard and this must change moving forward.
Third, WADA Presidential Candidates must build on the organization’s success at retrieving the Moscow laboratory data by being committed to ensuring an exhaustive, transparent and thorough accounting of the data is achieved. Based on previous reports from WADA, there are thousands
of presumptive positive samples in the Moscow laboratory data that must be investigated. Athletes are demanding that this review is completed in a transparent manner, which includes reporting the exact number of presumptive positive findings and how each finding has been managed. This process will take months, possibly years, and a future WADA President must not try to turn the page from this scandal, but be committed to a full investigation and pursuit of justice – no matter the cost or time. The NADO Leaders reiterate their offer to assist WADA in these matters.
This statement is supported by the National Anti-Doping Organization of:
1. Australia
2. Austria
3. Belgium (NADO Flanders)
4. Canada
5. Denmark
6. Estonia
7. Finland
8. France
9. Germany
10. Ireland
11. Japan
12. Netherlands
13. New Zealand
14. Norway
15. Singapore
16. South Africa
17. Sweden
18. Switzerland
19. United Kingdom
20. USA
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