The Third World Conference on Doping in Sport was recently held in Madrid, Spain organized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and sponsored by the Spanish High Council. IOC and ITU Vice President, Mr Chiharu Igaya (Japan), IOC Vice President Gunilla Lindberg (Sweden), ITU Treasurer Marisol Casado (Spain), ITU Executive Board Member Dr. Mario Rodriguez (Guatemala), Dr. Lanre Glover (Nigeria), Jozef Jurek (Slovakia), Dr. Sergio Migliorini (Italy), Daniela Garratoni (Italy) and ITU Technical and Anti-Doping Director Leslie Buchanan, were among the over 1500 participants. The other attendees included Olympic athletes, IOC members, IPC members, government officials, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, National Federations, Event Organizers, researchers and Anti-Doping Laboratories.
(The following is from the WADA website).
On day 1 of the World Conference (November 15, 2007) the participants were provided with a history of WADA since its inception in 1999, including the progress that has occurred, and what new strategies should be considered for future advances in anti-doping.
Summary of Day 1 (November 15, 2007)
Finance Session: WADA was created on the basis that it would be funded equally by the Olympic Movement and the Governments of the world. In the early days (2000-2001), the Olympic Movement alone funded WADA in order to allow governments to organize their contributions and to agree amongst themselves on a share split. Since 2002, the Olympic Movement has been matching all of the government payments, dollar for dollar. In 2002-2003, government funding was relatively low, however, since 2005, payments have been coming in earlier in the year and more regularly, thereby greatly improving cash flow and the ability to follow-through on all planned projects.
Education: The current Education strategy at WADA was developed with prevention as its key focus. To be effective, preventive anti-doping education needs to offer a sustained process of developing and integrating values in individuals, at the earliest age possible, that will help them make the choice, when it arises, of not engaging in cheating or doping. WADAs education activities are geared to assisting stakeholders with promoting and instilling the Spirit of Sport values; and targeting youth as well as casting a broader net to reach all of the actors from a youths and future athletes major circles of influence.
Athletes: Athlete Outreach continues to be an important program in reaching out to and interacting with the athletes of the world. With the goal of raising awareness about WADA and the anti-doping issue, Athlete Outreach is an important platform for providing information in a fun and engaging way at major events worldwide. The WADA Athlete Outreach model was launched in 2006 in an effort to provide stakeholders all the tools necessary to deliver their own outreach activities. The program is turn-key and available at no cost. All stakeholders should be engaging in some form of outreach to ensure that their athletes understand the dangers of doping and their responsibilities under the Code.
Science: WADA has multiple activities in the science and medical areas. WADA assumed the responsibility for managing the process for maintaining and annually updating the Prohibited List. WADA also established, in 2001, the first and only internationally coordinated scientific research program for the improvement and development of new anti-doping methods and the detection of new drugs. Since 2001, WADA has dedicated more that US$31 million to scientific research. WADA gained responsibility for laboratory accreditation and reaccreditation in 2004 and has worked to harmonize laboratory activities and processes.
Medical: Since its creation, WADA has sharpened its strategies relating to athlete health, especially in relation to the Athlete Passport concept, or the longitudinal follow-up of athlete biological parameters recorded in a passport to allow the identification, indirectly, of abnormal profiles due to the use of banned substances or methods.
Future Strategies: Looking toward the future evolution of the fight against doping in sport, new strategies are being considered and incorporated. For example, investigations that break up major doping networks, involving the work of law enforcement authorities brings new hope in helping to attack source and supply, while removing those who dope from sporting competition. In this respect, WADA and its stakeholders are developing model protocols for the sharing of investigatory evidence to enhance the fight against doping.
Summary of Day 2 (November 16, 2007)
Day 2 was dedicated to the Revised World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and interventions made by delegates from the Governments and the Sports Movement.
Code Review Process: The first session provided an overview of the process that was used to seek stakeholder input for revisions to the Code. WADA launched the review process in April 2006 in consultation will all stakeholders. Consultations extended over 18 months and involved 3 rounds of review with 3 successive draft revisions of the Code distributed to everyone for their feedback. In addition, proactive efforts were made to seek input from various stakeholder groups, which included some 40 individual meetings held and 70 presentations given. To ensure transparency, the process for participating in the consultations was made public via WADAs Web site and in communications to stakeholders; and each draft revision of the Code was published online along with the official submissions made by stakeholders in response to the drafts (unless the stakeholder requested otherwise).
Each of the 216 official submissions received was carefully considered in the context of making practical improvements to the Code and strengthening anti-doping programs worldwide. The final draft revised Code was published on October 15, in anticipation of the World Conference and the meeting of WADAs Foundation Board on November 17, and is a result of contributions made by everyone who has respected and participated in the wholly transparent and inclusive process made available to everyone. Everyone with an interest in contributing to the improvement of the Code has had the opportunity to participate.
Interventions made by stakeholders: The rest of the sessions were dedicated to allowing stakeholders to make interventions regarding the Code and revisions. The interventions that have been made available to WADA are posted on the World Conference Website.
Summary of Day 3 (November 17, 2007)
The Third World Conference on Doping in Sport concluded with a resolution accepting revisions to strengthen the World Anti-Doping Code and bolster the fight to protect athlete health and the integrity of sport.
The Sports Movement and Governments of the world, at the Third World Conference on Doping in Sport (World Conference) adopted a resolution (Madrid Resolution) in which they renewed their joint commitment to a rigorous fight against doping in sport and approved the strengthening of the World Anti-Doping Code.
The World Conference endorsed the Revised World Anti-Doping Code (Code) in a move to advance anti-doping harmonization and programs worldwide. Since its initial adoption in 2003 by Sport and Governments as the framework for the global harmonized fight against doping in sport, the Code has proven to be a fair and effective tool for combating doping. In a meeting held prior to the World Conference’s adoption of the Madrid Resolution, the Foundation Board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) unanimously approved the revisions to enhance the Code.
“The Third World Conference on Doping in Sport and the adoption of the Madrid Resolution mark a major milestone in the fight against doping,” said WADA President Richard W. Pound. “Governments and the Sport Movement have committed to taking their anti-doping efforts to the next level by leveraging their experience with the Code since 2003 and endorsing refinements to strengthen it.”
“Everyone with an interest in ethical sport and the health of athletes has had the opportunity to contribute to the strengthening of the Code,” continued Pound. “It was important for us to hear from everyone and to ensure a wholly transparent and consultative process, and I congratulate all stakeholders who have played their part.”
WADA launched a process to refine the Code’s provisions and strengthen worldwide anti-doping programs in April 2006. Consultations extended over 18 months and involved 3 rounds of review with 3 successive draft revisions of the Code distributed to all stakeholders for feedback. In addition, WADA sought input from various stakeholder groups, which included initiating 40 individual meetings and 70 presentations. The process for participating in the consultations was made public and transparent via WADA’s Web site and communications to stakeholders. Each draft revision of the Code was published online along with the official submissions made by stakeholders in response to the drafts.
Sports and Governments are expected to implement the revisions to the Code by 1 January 2009.
Click here for the Madrid Resolution
The above was taken from the WADA website at www.wada-ama.org
The International Triathlon Union is a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code. The ITU is strongly committed to the fight against doping in sport and therefore will comply with the Revised World Anti-Doping Code that was adopted in Madrid. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Leslie Buchanan, ITU Technical and Anti-Doping Director at leslie.buchanan@triathlon.org for more information.