15 nasjonale antidopingbyrå utfordrer WADA

Det kommer frem i en pressemelding skrevet under av lederne i antidopingbyråene Australia, Canada, Danmark, Finland, Frankrike, Tyskland, Irland, Japan, Nederland, New Zealand, Sør Afrika, Sverige, Sveits og USA i tillegg til ADNO.

– Antidoping Norge står skulder ved skulder med WADA i kampen mot doping i idretten, og vi anser WADA for en sentral og viktig partner i kampen for en ærlig idrett. Likevel må vi utfordre WADA på de punktene hvor vi mener at WADA kan bli enda bedre, så vi kan få et sterkere og mer uavhengig WADA, sier internasjonal leder i ADNO, Martin Holmlund Lauesen.

Han forklarer videre at et uavhengig styre er helt essensielt i veien videre i kampen for en ren idrett.

–Vi mener at kjernen til dette er at beslutninger i enkeltsaker blir håndtert av et uavhengig styre, som ikke består av representanter for ulike interesser. Det bør stå utenfor enhver tvil, at håndhevelse av reglene er basert på jus og fakta. Vi ser også gjerne at organer som skal fastsette reglene er sammensatt av flere interessenter, så også nasjonale antidopingbyrå og utøverne som har antidoping tett på seg i hverdagen kan bidra med deres perspektiver.

Les hele pressemeldingen her:

NADO LEADERS REMAIN HOPEFUL FOR MEANINGFUL REFORM OF WADA GOVERNANCE

With interest in the activities of the Governance Review Working Group of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and a desire to see continued reform, National AntiDoping Organisations (NADO) leaders recently gathered for a virtual meeting.

Since releasing the Copenhagen Declaration back in August 2016, NADO Leaders have monitored WADA’s governance reform processes with great interest. NADO Leaders have contributed constructive proposals based on principles of independence, involvement of key stakeholders – especially athletes –transparency and eliminating conflicts of interest.

The current Governance Review Working Group has released a survey due 26 March 2021, to collect stakeholder input. All stakeholders, including the NADO community and athletes, are encouraged to use it to submit their experience and opinions. The survey can be found here.

The need for a stricter division of roles and responsibilities between WADA’s Executive Committee and Foundation Board as well as a truly independent Executive Committee is paramount for the credibility of WADA’s decisions in individual cases, e.g. regarding compliance. At the same time, the importance of independent athletes and NADOs inclusion in WADA's regulative bodies (such as the Foundation Board) cannot be overstated. Athletes are the heart and soul of sport and need a meaningful voice in its operation. NADOs conduct the majority of all antidoping activities worldwide, yet, they have no seat on WADA’s Foundation Board. A fair and representative balance of all stakeholders must be ensured on the Foundation Board and WADA committees.

The NADO Leaders took note that unlike the previous working group on this subject, direct NADO participation is excluded from this important governance review working group. At the same time, the NADO Leaders expressed hope, that the exclusion of NADOs in the process – as key stakeholders with in-depth knowledge of the deficiencies in the current Governance structures – should not be read as a lack of will for much needed governance reforms.

The statement is supported by the NADOs from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, USA.