By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, May 20 (APP)::The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) said on Wednesday the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) has notified the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code, which will enter into force on 1st of January 2021.
“It contains certain specific roles and responsibilities that all NOCs must integrate into their rules and policies by the end of this year. In order to facilitate the implementation of these provisions,the ANOC has sent a declaration developed by WADA, which has to be signed by each NOC and returned to WADA and ANOC before 31 August 2020,” said Secretary, POA Muhammad Khalid Mahmood here.
In consultation with the POA Medical Commission and National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO), the Pakistan Olympic Association has signed and sent the Declaration 2021 World Anti-Doping Code by formally accepting the following:
Ensure that its anti-doping policies and rules conform with the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the International Standards,
Require, as a condition of membership, that the policies, rules and programs of their National Federations and other members are in compliance with the Code and the International Standards, and take appropriate action to enforce such compliance;
Respect the autonomy of the National Anti-Doping Organization in its country and not interfere in its operational decisions and activities,
Recognize and comply with the anti-doping rules adopted by the National Anti-Doping Organization in its country,
require National Federations to report any information suggesting or relating to an anti-doping rule violation to its National Anti-Doping Organization and International Federation and to cooperate with investigations conducted by any Anti-Doping Organization with authority to conduct the investigation;
Require, as a condition of participation in the Olympic Games that, at a minimum, athletes who are not regular members of a National Federation be available for sample collection and provide whereabouts information as required by the International Standard for Testing and Investigations as soon as the athlete is identified on the long list or subsequent entry document submitted in connection with the Olympic Games;
Cooperate with its National Anti-Doping Organization and work with its government to establish a National Anti-Doping Organization where one does not already exist, provided that, in the interim, the National Olympic Committee or its designee shall fulfill the responsibility of a National Anti-Doping Organization;
If applicable, maintain, in cooperation with their government, an active and supportive role with its respective Regional Anti-Doping Organization where its country is a member of a Regional Anti-Doping Organization;
Require each of its National Federations to establish rules (or other means) requiring all athletes preparing for or participating in a competition or activity authorized or organized by a National Federation or one of its member organizations, and all athlete support personnel associated with such athletes, to agree to and be bound by anti-doping rules and Anti-Doping Organization results management authority in conformity with the Code as a condition of such participation or involvement;
Subject to applicable law, as a condition of such position or involvement, require all of its board members, directors, officers, and those employees (and those of appointed delegated third parties), who are involved in any aspect of doping control, to agree to be bound by anti- doping rules as persons in conformity with the Code for direct and intentional misconduct, or to be bound by comparable rules and regulations put in place by the signatory;
subject to applicable law, not knowingly employ a person in any position involving doping control (other than authorized anti-doping education or rehabilitation programs) who has been provisionally suspended or is serving a period of ineligibility under the Code or, if a person was not subject to the Code, who has directly and intentionally engaged in conduct within the previous six years which would have constituted a violation of anti-doping rules if Code-compliant rules had been applicable to such person;
Prevent any person who is serving a provisional suspension or a period of ineligibility from being a member of or selected for any team or hold any position within the National Olympic Committee;
withhold some or all funding, during any period of ineligibility, to any athlete or athlete support person who has violated anti-doping rules;
Withhold some or all funding to its member or recognized National Federations that are not in compliance with the Code and/or the International Standards;
Pan, implement, evaluate and promote anti-doping education in line with the requirements of the International Standard for Education, including requiring National Federations to conduct anti-doping education in coordination with the applicable National Anti-Doping Organization;
Vigorously pursue all potential anti-doping rule violations within its authority including investigation into whether athlete support personnel or other persons may have been involved in each case of doping;
Ccoperate with relevant national organizations and agencies and other Anti-Doping Organizations;
have disciplinary rules in place to prevent athlete support personnel who are using prohibited substances or prohibited methods without valid justification from providing support to athletes within the National Olympic Committee’s authority;
respect the operational independence of laboratories as provided in the International Standard for Laboratories;
implement the decisions of Signatory Anti-Doping Organizations and, where applicable, bodies that are not a Signatory, in accordance with Article 15 of the Code;
Adopt a policy or rule implementing Article 2.11 of the Code; and
take appropriate action to discourage non-compliance with the Code and the International Standards (a) by Signatories, in accordance with Article 24.1 of the Code and the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories, and (b) by any other sporting body over which it has authority, in accordance with Article 12 of the Code.
“We understand that National Sports Federations are already actively collaborating with WADA, respective IFs, POA and NADO for the protection of clean athletes. It is further imperative that above guidelines must be adopted and implemented in true spirit by all affiliates of POA”, said the POA official.
