WADA conference set to open in Madrid

Final preparations are underway for the Third World Conference on Doping in Sport organised by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which will open in Madrid tomorrow, Thursday 15 November, and run until the 17 November.  The official IAAF delegation will be led by IAAF President Lamine Diack and IAAF Council Member Abby Hoffman.

The chief topic of discussion will be the revision of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) - the core document adopted in 2003 by the Sport Movement and Governments of the world as the framework for the global harmonised fight against doping in sport, and the document upon which the IAAF bases it’s own Anti-Doping Rules.  The process of revising the Code is intended to fine-tune its provisions based on the experience gained to date and to strengthen global efforts against doping in sport.  The draft revised Code will be presented to WADA's Foundation Board for approval on 17 November 2007

Throughout the Code revision process the IAAF has consistently called for tougher sanctions to be imposed against those athletes and support personnel who deliberately dope, and so cheat their fellow athletes of the rewards they deserve.  During this Conference, IAAF President Lamine Diack will again stress the importance of these increased sanctions and the IAAF’s commitment to seeking 4 year bans under the revised Code wherever possible.  A full transcript of President Diack’s speech to the WADA conference will be made available via the IAAF website on Friday 16 November.

The Third World Conference will also be the opportunity to review major advances made in the fight against doping since WADA's inception in late 1999, and to identify strategies to further strengthen anti-doping programmes worldwide. This will include discussions as part of the Code review, as well as Conference sessions dedicated to specific areas of the fight against doping and of WADA's activities, such as science, education, the athletes' role, finance, and cooperation between anti-doping organisations and law enforcement authorities.