LAUSANNE – The traditional annual WADA Symposium under the motto ‘Tackling our Challenges and Strengthening the Future of Clean Sport’ took place in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 13 to 15 March 2017.
The event brought together representatives of IFs, National and Regional Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs and RADOs), Major Event Organisers (MEOs), WADA-accredited laboratories, as well as representatives of athletes and governments.
In one of the highlights of the symposium, Professor Richard McLaren provided more details on his Independent report. He admitted that evidence obtained and presented on the web in a form of ‘Evidentiary Disclosure Package’ may not be strong enough for prosecution of individual athletes by relevant international sports federations. He added that this was in fact in line with the main aim of the investigation, which was not to gather evidence for the punishment of individual athletes, but to reveal the systematic institutional doping practices in Russia.
The recently appointed Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation, former Olympic gold medal winner, Mr. Kolobkov, presented steps the Russian sports movement is taking in order to recreate clean and internationally acceptable Anti-Doping structures, including the consequent prosecution of responsible individuals and modification of the law. Russia has recently joined the countries, with strict jurisdiction, which consider violation of doping rules a criminal offence.
In a session of whistleblowing, WADA’s newly appointed Director of Intelligence and Investigations, Günter Younger, explained the main strategy and future plans for using a safe and efficient whistleblowing system as an integral part of Anti-Doping activities.
Chief of the Brazilian Anti-Doping laboratory, Prof. Radler, raised the underfunding issue of Anti-Doping laboratories. Especially, those with lower sample turnover do struggle to meet strict accreditation criteria. This can be illustrated by the fact that currently 9 WADA-accredited laboratories (+/-30 %) suffer from temporary suspension.
FISU representatives at the symposium, Secretary General/CEO Eric Saintrond and Medical Committee Chair Prof. Dusan Hamar have utilised the event to meet with partners from IFs, future Universiade organisers, laboratories and also with newly-appointed members of RUSADA to discuss the actual issue and future cooperation on the field of Anti-Doping fight.
(Source: Dusan Hamar, FISU Medical Committee Chair)