News06 Jul 2007


Second Anti-Doping seminar with athletes and managers held in Paris

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Dr. Gabriel Dollé, Director of the IAAF’s Medical and Anti-Doping Department speaks at the meeting (© Chris Turner)

Paris, FranceThe IAAF Medical and AntiDoping Department on Friday (6 July) held the second in a series of informal meetings with athletes and managers regarding the IAAF’s Anti-Doping Programme.

Held on the morning of the Meeting Gaz de France Paris Saint-Denis, the second IAAF Golden League fixture of 2007, 34 athletes and mangers attended along with IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss and representatives of the Medical and Anti-Doping Department. Among the notable attendees was Debbie Ferguson a representative of the IAAF Athletes' Commission, and numerous other World and Olympic medallists.

This meeting, which follows the one held in Oslo (15 June) at the first IAAF Golden League meeting of the year was designed to provide an opportunity for athletes and their managers or support personnel to come and speak directly with the IAAF on any issues regarding anti-doping.  It was also chance for them to learn about what progress and action is being taken by the IAAF, and also to ask their questions or share any concerns.

Dr. Gabriel Dollé, Director of the IAAF’s Medical and Anti-Doping Department said “it is crucial that the athletes feel we are open, transparent and willing to listen to their concerns or questions."

"The IAAF spends millions of dollars in the fight against doping each year in order to protect the rights of these clean athletes so it is only correct that they have input and knowledge about what we are doing."

"We hope that by encouraging communication we can create a partnership with clean athletes and that together we continue to improve our anti-doping programme and promotion of drug free athletic”.

In a similar approach to the first meeting, an overview of the department’s structure and of the testing programme was given with specific details about how and by whom tests are carried out, the operation of the Out-of-Competition Testing Programme, the Registered Testing Pool, and the Whereabouts System, around which the monitoring of the world’s elite athletes is based outside events. There was also time spent to explain the IAAF’s focus on Blood Testing.

The Paris meeting again paid particular attention to the issue of 'Athletes' Whereabouts' information which is so crucial to an effective testing programme, yet at the same time is burdensome on the athletes.

Not all attendees or representatives shared the same points of view, but the nearly three hours of strong discussion and debate showed the passion that all those attending, and the IAAF athletes in general, have towards ensuring their sport is free from cheats and doping.

Following the success of these meetings the IAAF plans to look at venues and options for their continuation either later or in following seasons.  Feedback and comments received at these meetings will also be provided to the IAAF Athletes' Commission and Medical & Anti-Doping Commissions for their information.

To read about the first meeting held in Oslo click here

Chris Butler
Communications Manager
IAAF Medical and Anti-Doping Department

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