WADA Athlete Forum engaged over 100 athletes in the fight against doping
From the 3rd to the 5th June 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Athlete Committee convoked 104 athletes from 54 countries and five continents for its first Global Athlete Forum in Calgary, Canada. The aim of the meeting was to debate key issues in the fight against doping.
The forum, whose theme was ‘The sport we want’, brought the exchange of opinions between anti-doping experts and participants to the table, allowing a better understanding of how to implement the right measures for the protection of clean athletes. According to WADA, the debate was a success and increased the awareness of the participants regarding their place in the fight against doping.
WADA Athlete Committee Chair, Beckie Scott said, “I am thrilled by the success of this first ever Global Athlete Forum; in particular, as it relates to the level of dialogue that led to a series of key outcomes. Based on the feedback that I have received, Forum participants feel better equipped with knowledge and tools and are walking away inspired and empowered to do what they can to strengthen clean sport.”
The key outcomes of the forum include: the possibility of advancing the Anti-Doping Charter of Athlete Rights with many improvements; WADA’s commitment in addressing the issues of corruption and conflict of interest in the anti-doping system; the responsibility to ensure the correct fulfillment of the Roadmap to Compliance’s criteria by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency; the support given to WADA´s Speak up program and the concern about sporting organisations hosting events in WADA non-Code compliant countries.
“We are pleased to support athletes by working directly with them to protect clean sport. This Forum, the first of its kind, brought athlete leaders together from around the globe and from a multitude of sports with the sole aim of further strengthening the anti-doping movement,” stated Rob Koehler, WADA Deputy Director General according to a WADA press release.
More Information
Find more information on WADA here.
Find the forum's key outcomes here.
Find WADA´s World Anti-Doping Code here.
WADA was founded in 1999 as an international independent agency with the vision of contributing to the creation of “A world where all athletes can compete in a doping-free sporting environment.” The core values of the agency are: integrity, accountability and excellence. WADA is also the guardian of World Anti-Doping Code, whose purpose is: “to advance the anti-doping effort through universal harmonization of core anti-doping elements.”