The World Anti-Doping Agency has officially affirmed the proposals to reform anti-doping efforts made by national anti-doping organizations (NADOs) at an August summit, and will consider the proposals next month.
The proposals came out of a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark back in August between 17 NADOs: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States, plus the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations. You can read more about that summit here.
The proposals ranged from adopting clearer and stricter sanctions for nations found to have institutional doping programs to more financial support to WADA, anti-doping organizations and whistleblowers in exposed doping programs.
WADA released a statement this week acknowledging those proposals and announcing that they would consider the proposals at the Foundation Board meeting on November 20. From the WADA website:
“WADA acknowledges the renewed proposals by the NADO leaders; and, would welcome meeting as they suggest to discuss them further,” said Olivier Niggli, WADA Director General. “The renewed proposals will be considered, along with other stakeholder feedback, by the Agency’s Foundation Board on 20 November,” continued Niggli. “WADA has received a lot of valuable feedback on such key topics as: sanctions and consequences for non-compliance; governance and funding; investigations; and testing,” he said. “It is encouraging to hear the sentiment re-emphasised yesterday to the effect that WADA must be given greater authority, regulatory and sanctioning powers,” he said. “We will take all these recommendations with us to the Foundation Board meeting; at which, the process towards a ‘roadmap’ for the anti-doping system will be drawn up.”