Anti-doping agencies join in a call for reinforced fight against doping

At a special summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, the leaders of 17 national anti-doping agencies discussed current challenges in the anti-doping work and agreed on a series of reform proposals that seek to strengthen the fight against doping.

According to the endorsing NADO leaders, the scandals that have hit international sport recently have left the anti-doping fight at a crossroads, says a statement issued at the summit’s conclusion.

“With the best interests of clean athletes at heart, we have come together to discuss reforms that we believe will better protect them, restore confidence in the global anti-doping effort that has been deeply damaged, and ensure that the disturbing events of recent years are not repeated,” the statement says.

The strengthening of the International Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, is among the top-priorities in the reform proposal. This enforcement should come from securing WADA the authorities and funding to “investigate and to impose proportional sanctions with strong deterrent effects”.

This should be substantiated by amendment of the World Anti-Doping Code, which should "clarify and broaden the range of violations" of non-compliance. The NADOs also underline the importance of mentoring non-compliant NADOs to secure an increased level of the anti-doping effort’s integrity internationally.

The NADOs further propose substantial governance reforms that accentuate an increased separation between anti-doping entities and sports organisations. The NADOs propose that no decision-makers in anti-doping organisations also hold policy-making positions in neither international federations nor event organisations such as the IOC.

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.

Finally, the NADOS propose an increased support and protection system for whistleblowers and especially draw attention to the importance of securing the security of Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov, the Russian couple who were instrumental in revealing the top-down doping system outlined in the McLaren report. The NADOS specifically call on the IOC and Russia to assist in this task. 

Attending the summit were anti-doping leaders from Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States.