A number of “wide-ranging” reforms within the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have been proposed following a special summit of 17 National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) in the wake of the controversy caused by the Russian scandal. The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday, July 21, 2016 rejected Russia’s appeal of the ban.
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The proposals, which have been put forth by the NADOs to “best serve the interests of clean athletes and restore confidence in the integrity of anti-doping decisions in worldwide sport”, are also meant to strengthen WADA and, as a result, the global anti-doping system.
NADO wants to prevent anyone from “simultaneously” holding positions of power in an anti-doping agency as well as an worldwide federation or major sports event organisation.
This should “prevent the inherent conflict of interest that exists when a sports organisation is tasked with both promoting and policing itself”, the press release says.
IOC President Thomas Bach had attempted to make WADA the scapegoat for the confusion and controversy which surrounded Russia’s participation at the Rio 2016 Olympics during the Session ahead of the event.
WADA, who did not participate in the NADOs meeting but were “informed in advance that it would be held and embraced the initiative as it does all constructive proposals”, also said they expected further proposals to be made at Olympic Summit on October 8.
Leaders from 17 national anti-doping agencies issue joint call for a reinforced and more independent anti-doping effort in order to rebuild confidence lost following recent doping scandals.
The IOC controversially resisted Wada’s call for Russian Federation to be banned from this month’s Rio Games, but the saga deeply divided the Olympic community. Anti-doping agency heads from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and Sweden, gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, earlier this week, adopting proposals which include making WADA more independent and strengthening the sanctions imposed on doping rules violators.
They also discussed “ensuring a level-playing field in countries with failing anti-doping structures, and long overdue reforms to ensure the current and future protection and support of whistleblowers – including that of Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov”. His report detailed manipulation of drug samples at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, as well as cover-ups of doping tests across dozens of summer and winter sports.
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Bach said in Rio that the International Olympic Committee was “not responsible for dangers to which Mrs. Stepanova may be exposed”. She said recently that she fears for her safety and has switched residences after hackers breached a WADA database that records her whereabouts.
