Roundtable on Advancing International Commitment to Clean Sport and Fair Play: Reforming the World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999 by governments and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to safeguard the rights of athletes and promote and protect drug-free sport. WADA’s mission has never been more important than it is today.
WADA must be reformed to make it stronger and more accountable to clean athletes in order for governments, the public, and athletes to continue to support and believe in it.
As a result of the recent state-sponsored doping crisis in Russia, and widespread athlete and public disillusionment in how the crisis was handled, confidence in clean sport is at an all-time low. Athletes and sports fans across the globe have lost confidence in the commitment, resolve, and willingness of WADA to stand up for the ideals upon which it was founded.
We agree that in order for WADA to lead a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport, reforms must include the following:
- WADA must commit to govern and operate in respectful, accountable, democratic, and transparent manner.
- WADA must undertake greater efforts to listen to and respect the voice of athletes. WADA must include athletes as full voting members on its Executive Committee and in other essential governance functions.
- Call for a robust independent inquiry to examine WADA’s culture, leadership and operations following the recent allegations of bullying and acts of intimidation at WADA.
- The governance structure of WADA must be overhauled in a significant and meaningful way. Individuals with active roles in sport must not simultaneously serve in leadership positions at WADA.
- WADA must ensure an open and transparent process regarding securing all of the anti-doping samples and laboratory data in Russia and the WADA Compliance Review Committee must convene and make a recommendation immediately after the December 31, 2018 deadline for compliance.
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