Kuala LumpurWhen governments and the sport movement founded WADA in 1999, they were responding to the urgent need to protect the integrity of sport and the health of athletes. To combat doping in sports effectively, there needed to be a harmonized, global, strategy that combined and coordinated the resources of both sports and governments. |
One of the most important achievements to date in the fight against doping in sport has been the drafting, acceptance, and implementation of a uniform set of anti-doping rules, the World Anti-Doping Code (Code). |
WADA – World Anti-Doping Agency
WADA History
After the events that shook the world of cycling in the summer of 1998, the IOC decided to convene a World Conference on Doping, bringing together all parties involved in the fight against doping. The World Conference on Doping in Sport held in Lausanne on 2-4 February 1999 produced the Lausanne Declaration on Doping in Sport. This document provided for the creation of an independent international anti-doping agency to be fully operational for the Games of the XXVII Olympiad in Sydney in 2000. Pursuant to the terms of the Lausanne Declaration, the World Anti-Doping Agency was established on 10 November 1999 in Lausanne to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sport internationally. WADA was set up as a foundation under the initiative of the IOC with the support and participation of intergovernmental organizations, governments, public authorities, and other public and private bodies fighting against doping in sport. The agency consists of equal representatives from the Olympic Movement and public authorities.
Governance
WADA is composed of a Foundation Board, an Executive Committee, and several Committees.The 38-member Foundation Board is WADA’s supreme decision-making body. It is composed equally of representatives from the Olympic Movement and governments. WADA Foundation Board delegates the actual management and running of the Agency, including the performance of activities and the administration of assets, to the Executive Committee, WADA’s ultimate policy-making body. The 12-member Executive Committee is also composed equally of representatives from the Olympic Movement and governments. WADA’s Committees act as advisory committees and provide guidance for WADA’s programs.
International Standards
The international standard of World Anti-doping are separated in four international standards which are prohibited list, testing, laboratories, and therapeutic use exemptions. The prohibited list is published and prepared by the World Anti-Doping Code first created in the year 1963 lead by the International Olympic Committee. It is the standard of identifying prohibiting substances and methods in-competition, out of competition, and in particular sports. The substances are classified by categories such as steroids, stimulants, gene doping). The use of any prohibited substance is only possible when the athlete use for his/her medical reasons will be classified as a therapeutic use exemption.
The list is updated and reviewed by the List Committee holding three meetings each year to revise and publish a new List every in October and will come in effect in January the following year. The WADA List Committee is made up of eleven scientists chose from their international expertise.
The international Standard for Testing is to maintain the harmonization of the sports to plan for effective testing and integrity and identity of samples of the athlete to harmonize the sports.
The International Standard for Laboratories is to achieve production of valid test results and reports to harmonize all accredited laboratories.
The International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions is that the process of granting the TUEs is harmonized across sports and countries. Many athletes may have illnesses or conditions that may require to intake particular medications that may fall under the Prohibited List. An authorization may be granted by the Therapeutic Use Exemption to that athlete.