Anti-Doping Agency pledges to clean up sport

The World Anti-Doping Agency has ended its first meeting in the Swiss city of Lausanne with a surprise pledge to introduce some new measures in time for the Olympic Games in Sydney this summer.

The World Anti Doping Agency, which was set up last year to try to clean up international sport after a series of major doping scandals, has ended its first meeting in Lausanne with a surprise pledge to introduce some new measures in time for the Olympic Games in Sydney this summer.

WADA’s board of representatives from governments, sporting federations and athletes, said the agency wanted to introduce a drugs testing results management system at Sydney, increasing transparency and providing consistent sanctions for doping regardless of the nationality or prestige of the athlete, or the sport they are involved in.

Some national sporting federations and Olympic officials have been accused in recent years of tolerating or hiding doping cases and of meting out different treatment to some athletes, although nothing has ever been proven. Norwegian Johann Koss, four-time Olympic speed skating champion, said the step would be very important to establish trust for anti-doping measures amongst athletes.

The first meeting, which was marked by strong involvement of governments and athletes, also appeared to allay fears that the Agency would work under the wing of the International Olympic Committee. Acting head of the agency, Dick Pound, who is also a member of the IOC, said the appointment of each Olympic official on the board would be matched by that of an athlete.

There is also pressure to make sure that the Agency’s permanent headquarters will not be located in Lausanne, the Olympic movement’s headquarters. With sweeping powers to fight doping in most sports, WADA is planning a range of measures to fight drug abuse, including research into drugs and reliable testing methods, procedures, and consistent sanctions.

Athletes may face testing 365 days a year, even outside sporting events. However, it is likely to take at least a year before most of the anti-doping measures are established.

By Peter Capella