2016 REGAINING THE TRUST OF CLEAN ATHLETES

Transcription

1 2016 REGAINING THE TRUST OF CLEAN ATHLETES DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY SIR CRAIG REEDIE Tackling Dping in Sprt Lndn, 9 March 2016 Intrductin Gd mrning. Thank yu fr the invitatin t speak t yu at this cnference, a cnference with such an impressive array f cntributrs. I lk frward with great interest t the debate ver the next tw days and, if yu will permit me, I wuld like t add a sub title t the theme f this Cnference: Regaining the Trust f Clean Athletes might well be the verall title f Tackling Dping in Sprt Ladies and Gentlemen, the public s cnfidence in sprt was shattered in 2015 like never befre. The public md has sured, cynicism has prevailed: there is a general feeling that they are all at it. We have seen criminal arrests f FIFA executives ver crruptin and bribery; systematic dping in Russia and serius anti-dping and gvernance failures at the Internatinal Track and Field gverning bdy, the IAAF; even tennis has been affected by claims f match-fixing at the highest level, and with sme umpires invlved in crruptin. Our backs have been pushed up against the wall. Athletes and millins f sprts fans wrldwide are demanding answers. This is nt sprt, they say. With knwledge f these wrngs, hwever, we can set things right thrugh rbust antidping prgrams and gd gvernance, and I expect that these tw areas will prve t be the central fcus f this Cnference. Wrld Anti-Dping Cde the answer t the issues The 2015 Wrld Anti-Dping Cde, thrugh significant enhancements, prvides answers t help us right these wrngs but they must be practised well by all partners if we are t detect dping, deter and, mst imprtantly, prevent future generatins f athletes frm ging dwn that path. Accmpanied by gd gvernance, we can ensure that there exists n cnflict f interest fr these rganizatins, either perceived r real. The 2015 Cde prvides fr lnger and tugher fur-year sanctins fr first-time cheats; it encurages smarter testing nt least under the Technical Dcument fr Sprt Specific

2 Analysis; it stresses enhanced values-based educatin; it allws fr substantial assistance frm athletes and prtects whistle blwers better s that we encurage them t cme frward. And, yes, it puts a much greater emphasis n intelligence-led inquiries. These are all areas t be discussed at this Cnference they are key debates fr antidping in The Cde ffers us real clut if we use it effectively: these are all qualitybased changes that we can cllectively use t prtect clean athletes, and in turn give them and the wider public greater belief in the system. The athletes deserve it at this time. WADA is bth the anti-dping regulatr and a cllabrative partner. We help ur partners achieve quality practice. Part f this, is the develpment f strengthened cmpliance system which is an imprtant issue t which I will return in greater detail a little later The Cde ffers us much but let me deal with ne issue that has been in the public dmain f late: life bans fr first time ffenders. This is nt the answer. The subject f life bans was fully debated during the Cde revisin prcess, and indeed an pinin was requested frm a frmer president f the Eurpean Curt f Human Rights (ECHR), Judge Jean-Paul Csta. Judge Csta clearly said that lifetime sanctins fr first time ffences wuld nt be prprtinate and that they ran the risk f being dismissed by curts. Thugh we are flexible in anti-dping, the anti-dping wrld and all stakehlders agreed t an enhanced Cde with lnger fur-year sanctins in Jhannesburg in This is a settled sanctin that nt nly was agreed upn by all but will hld up in a curt f law. We are pen t debate, but let us use the gd pwers we already have, and let us use them better. Let us nt waste time in having cases challenged in the Curts it s simply nt a gd use f ur finite resurces. Independent Cmmissin Investigatin Let me nw tuch n that investigatin the Independent Cmmissin Chair Dick Pund will speak in mre length n this afterwards, but allw me t state a few hme truths. Althugh it was very unsettling t the wrld f sprt, the Cmmissin s Investigatin prved t be a significant success and it demnstrated the rle that investigative wrk can play in mdern-day anti-dping. The 2015 Cde gave us the pwer t investigate and I m pleased t say that we used that pwer t the fullest. And did s immediately. Speech by WADA President Sir Craig Reedie Tackling Dping in Sprt, Lndn, 9 March 2016 Page 2 f 8

3 Dick and the Cmmissin shuld be cmmended fr the thrugh jb they did in uncvering sme uncmfrtable findings. Thse findings were shcking and appalling, but I d nt wish t dwell n thse myself; they will be discussed here n stage after I have finished. Nw, we must fcus n righting the wrngs. On the tpic f cmmendatins, I was dismayed t read nce again this past week that sme believe that I, persnally, have nt shwn enugh gratitude t the Stepanvs, the Russian cuple that, with the help f investigative reprters, curageusly brught the Russian revelatins t light. While I have publically thanked the Stepanvs fr what they expsed; it s true that I did nt persnally reach ut t them. I did hwever ensure that key members f WADA s management team were in cntact with the Stepanvs befre, during and after the Independent Cmmissin s investigatin. And that separately, and until nw privately, I ensured that the Agency demnstrated its supprt by: Facilitating their relcatin; Prviding financial supprt; and Appealing t the IAAF and the IOC that Yuliya be readmitted t cmpete in majr internatinal cmpetitins. Fr the recrd, I, WADA, the anti-dping cmmunity and clean athletes f the wrld are very grateful t the Stepanvs fr their cntributin WADA and its partners immediately adpted the majr recmmendatins frm the Cmmissin s Reprt. We: Prvisinally suspended the Mscw labratry & and asked the lab t remve frm pst its then Directr; Requested that the IAAF suspend the Russian Athletics Federatin, ARAF; Declared RUSADA nn-cmpliant, and immediately began the task f verhauling their anti-dping prgram. We shuld remember that the IAAF s misdeeds described in the Reprt were under pre Cde rules. Crucially, the Cmmissin and WADA s independent Cmpliance Review Cmmittee reviewed the Reprt and cnsidered there t be n situatin f nn-cmpliance with the 2015 Cde. Speech by WADA President Sir Craig Reedie Tackling Dping in Sprt, Lndn, 9 March 2016 Page 3 f 8

4 I think it is als imprtant t nte the range f ther recmmendatins made t WADA by the Cmmissin, which we have taken n bard. This included: Strengthening plicies n cmpliance; Creating an independent mechanism t deal with cmpliance issues; Insisting that data is prvided fr use in WADA s ADAMS system; WADA develping and implementing a whistleblwer assistance and prtectin plicy; And a range f ther issues dealing with suspicius test results; test distributin plans; temprary administrative sanctins against Russia; amendments t the Internatinal Standards, cmpliance audits under the UNESCO system; imprvements t the labratries; and prviding sufficient staff and resurces fr further internatinal investigatins. I am pleased t say that the IAAF has als begun its vital refrms, and as a cllabrative partner WADA will ffer them a chance t achieve thse and in ding s will help the rganizatin regain the trust f clean athletes and the public wrldwide. WADA has als begun the wrk needed if RUSADA is t regain its cmpliance: A UKAD partnership with RUSADA is in place t ensure that targeted and intelligence-led testing is carried ut during the perid f nn-cmpliance s that athletes get tested in Russia while RUSADA is nn-cmpliant. Separately, WADA is assisting RUSADA in its effrts t regain cmpliance. T d this, we are invlved in the restructuring f the rganisatin and we are appinting tw independent, internatinal experts t be in Mscw in rder t versee RUSADA s transitin t Cde cmpliance; we have als requested that RUSADA include an independent member n their Bard What the Independent Cmmissin als highlighted is that we, WADA and ur traditinal anti-dping partners, have n mnply n anti-dping wisdm. Whistleblwers and the media are als allies in prtecting clean athletes rights and uphlding the integrity f sprt. On the tpic f whistle blwing, lk at its use it led the Cmmissin int areas f criminal wrngding highlighted in its secnd Reprt, and as a result the athlete (Liliya Shbukhva) met the cnditins fr substantial assistance as permitted under the revised Wrld Anti-Dping Cde. This is a gd example f whistleblwing, and indeed the Cde, being put t gd use. We at WADA will cntinue t wrk hand in hand with bth whistleblwers and the media and we will put in place enhanced measures t prtect whistleblwers better. We all want the same thing after all, and that is clean sprt. Speech by WADA President Sir Craig Reedie Tackling Dping in Sprt, Lndn, 9 March 2016 Page 4 f 8

5 The investigatin als prved that we are reaping the rewards f ur links with the law enfrcement industry - and we have members with law enfrcement backgrunds here in the rm tday we can help them and they can help us. Let us cntinue t strengthen thse links, as we knw that science alne cannt help us prtect clean athletes. T realise the ptential f anti-dping s relatinship with law enfrcement, hwever, and t supprt investigative effrts fully, we need gvernments t have the apprpriate legislatin in place s that law enfrcement agencies can investigate fully and s that infrmatin can be exchanged freely and effectively. This is an expectatin under Article 22 f the Wrld Anti-Dping Cde. Allw me t stress that far frm encuraging athletes t g t jail fr dping, implementing such legislatin will allw dping matters t be investigated fully and as a result will cut ff the supply f banned substances t athletes. Hwever, this must be mitigated with a dse f reality this investigatin cst US$1.5 millin and WADA has a US$26 millin annual perating budget. WADA as an rganizatin punches well abve its weight n this budget, but we must pick ur battles wisely based n hard evidence. We als need the Olympic Mvement and Gvernments t accept that mre funding is necessary t ensure that efficient anti-dping is cnducted acrss the bard. Allw me t tackle head-n the questin f extending investigatins int ther sprts in Russia r ther cuntries; a questin which was raised again recently with the United States Olympic Cmmittee (USOC) Athlete Chair calling fr further investigatins. If evidence cmes t light as part f the independent testing prgramme underway in Russia and in ur discussins with RUSADA - wh let us nt frget cver all Russian sprts - and these discussins warrant further investigatins, I will nt hesitate t act. Hwever, if full-blwn investigatins are t becme the nrm then we must seriusly explre greater funding fr this aspect f ur wrk. Cmpliance It is imprtant at this time t deal with the subject f cmpliance. Fr t many years, it has been assumed that the very wrd cmpliance meant cmpliance with the Rules under the Cde. The present revised Wrld Anti-Dping Cde was apprved at the Wrld Cnference in Jhannesburg in Nvember 2013 after a lng perid f cnsultatin. The Cde came int frce n 1 st January WADA has been engaged in a prlnged effrt t ensure that all stakehlders are rule cmpliant; in ther wrds, they have Rules which are in line with the 2015 Cde. In May 2015, we were able t annunce that all the Internatinal Federatins, which are cde signatries, were rule cmpliant. In Nvember, we turned ur attentin t a small number f NADOs that were nt rule cmpliant. In almst every case this was due t a failure t cmplete the apprpriate regulatry prcess in their cuntry and a small number f thse NADOs were given until 18 March 2016 that is in less than tw weeks time -- t cmplete these prcesses. There were three NADOs declared nn-cmpliant fr use f nn-accredited Speech by WADA President Sir Craig Reedie Tackling Dping in Sprt, Lndn, 9 March 2016 Page 5 f 8

6 labratries. We believe that a perid f 28 mnths since the acceptance f the Cde in Jhannesburg is a mre than sufficient perid f time t cmplete this prcess. Much f the regulatry wrk and assistance has been cnducted by ur Cmpliance Review Cmmittee. This is a grup f independent and highly knwledgeable peple wh, ultimately, make the imprtant recmmendatins n nn-cmpliance t the WADA Fundatin Bard. When all stakehlders are rule cmpliant which is the first step - WADA is instructed by its Fundatin Bard t use the Cmpliance Review Cmmittee and the prcesses they have develped t fcus n the quality f anti-dping prgrams. Anti-Dping Organisatins, wherever they may be situated, are encuraged t be mre efficient and mre effective in their principal purpse: the prtectin f clean athletes. T ensure that this is cnducted efficiently, we are in the prcess f seeking ISO Accreditatin fr the prcess s that quality anti-dping prgrams can flurish, and s that the rules are knwingly and prperly applied. This accreditatin prcess will enhance standards acrss the whle anti-dping cmmunity. Cde ver the last 12 mnths ther wins Much f the attentin f the past year has been n dping scandals but, as a glass half full man, let us reflect n a few f the ther wins that the 2015 Cde has presented us: We have begun t see a number f fur-year sanctins levied (fur years means an athlete is ut fr a whle Olympic cycle) that is strng prgress frm tw years, and a real deterrent; We have seen apprximately 850 rule vilatins issued since start f revised Cde. That s 850 dpers nt even making it t the start line thanks t anti-dping prgrams. Over 30 athletes have been sanctined thrugh Athlete Bilgical Passprt cases since the start f 2015 and we have nw seen mre than 90 cases since the Passprt began. This ges t shw the pwer f the Passprt. The labratry system cntinues t be enhanced. We nw have a new WADAaccredited labratry in Qatar this has ensured that the Middle East regin is well cvered. The Reginal Anti-Dping Organizatin (RADO) prgram cntinues t grw a new RADO was installed in Suth America cvering fur cuntries. We have had five new signatries t the Cde since the start f last year including NADOs, IFs and thers. Speech by WADA President Sir Craig Reedie Tackling Dping in Sprt, Lndn, 9 March 2016 Page 6 f 8

7 And, as a result f WADA s rbust new independent cmpliance prgram, there have been 12 signatries that were at sme stage ver the last 15 mnths declared nncmpliant. Fr thse wh say WADA lacks teeth, there is prf f the cntrary. This all pints t evidence that the 2015 Cde has had a real impact n sprt even if dping refuses t g away. Other Pririties WADA will als upscale its ther prcesses and pririties, which in turn will enhance the accuntability f ADOs glbally: Labratry mnitring and accreditatin; A greater fund fr investigatins; Creatively seeking mre funds s that we can further ur impact. An example f this is WADA s recent creatin f its U.S. private Fundatin fr Clean Sprt, which will target additinal funds fr research, educatin and ther activities; and Enhancing whistleblwer prtectin which will help encurage mre whistleblwers t cme frward t reprt dping. Indeed, lk at what happens when they d! These are just a few f the areas in which we are enhancing ur activities. Other Ptential Slutins Aside frm the Cde, and cllectively enhancing ur effrts, what ther ptential slutins exist as an antidte t the crisis fr dping in sprt? There has been an initial discussin n the Internatinal Olympic Cmmittee (IOC) s prpsal that ne way t further prtectin f clean athletes culd be t remve the inherent cnflict facing Internatinal Sprt Federatins (IFs) between prmting and develping their sprt n the ne hand, and plicing their sprt n the ther. It is suggested that this issue, perceived r real, culd be remved by establishing an independent testing agency. WADA has been invited t study this prpsal and initial meetings have already been held between technical anti-dping experts frm the WADA, IFs and the IOC. These were prductive discussins and we nw have a much clearer idea f hw such an independent testing unit culd perate. The IFs are cnducting the necessary research n the investment they currently make in their anti-dping prgrams. One utcme f the meetings was a request t the IOC t fund a prject with independent business experts in rder t establish the scale f the prject and the funding required. There was als a discussin abut the idea f an independent tribunal delivering decisins. Once these elements f research are cmpleted and WADA s Executive Cmmittee and Fundatin Bard have reviewed the relevant elements at their Speech by WADA President Sir Craig Reedie Tackling Dping in Sprt, Lndn, 9 March 2016 Page 7 f 8

8 next meetings in May, WADA will establish the full cnsultatin prcess necessary t include all stakehlders, including gvernments. Let us see what results frm the cnsultatin, and let us nt shy away frm such bld initiatives if it is needed fr the greater gd. Cnclusin What I have discussed here this mrning are all cnsideratins fr us in this Olympic year, when, because f recent events, the sptlight will be n anti-dping at an Olympic Games like never befre. Will dping disappear entirely? Of curse it cannt be eradicated entirely, because it is sme peple s nature t cheat, but we can cllectively d ur level best t reduce dping, and make the risk utweigh the reward Given the events f the last 12 mnths, sme have asked Why bther? Why dn t yu allw athletes t dpe? I have a succinct answer t that. N! It is nt an acceptable slutin. If ever psed with that questin, yu have t ask yurself: wuld I want my children r grandchildren t be subject t such dubius and dangerus substances? Banned substances pse a threat nt nly t purity f sprt, but t the health f athletes. And what culd be mre imprtant than that. Liberalising the use f Perfrmance Enhancing Drugs wuld lead t a wrrying escalatin in the use f dangerus substances; we wuld mve int a sprting wrld where the athlete with the best chemist wuld win. That is nt a wrld I, nr many thers, want t live in. Think abut future generatins f athletes. While we here in this rm ver the next tw days will be cncentrating n the legal side f anti-dping, I wish t als leave yu with the message f what educatin can d fr ur cllective aim in the lng run. We nw as an industry and we are an industry - have a respnsibility under the revised Cde t implement thrugh, values-based educatin prgrams. That means nt just prviding infrmatin but ging further by instilling values in thse that want t becme athletes, and ultimately preventing thse peple frm ever cnsidering dping. We want t create a healthy sprting envirnment where dping is nt an ptin. That has t be ur aim in the lng run if the clean athlete is t prevail. Thank yu fr yur attentin tday and thank yu fr yur cntributin in regaining the trust f clean athletes. Speech by WADA President Sir Craig Reedie Tackling Dping in Sprt, Lndn, 9 March 2016 Page 8 f 8