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Official: WADA set to test world athletes on doping

2009-07-08 09:04 Xinhuanet

LAGOS, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) said Tuesday in Abuja that world athletes in all sports are now liable to doping control and must be available for tests any time by the agency.

Abner Xoagub, the Secretary-General of Namibia's National Olympic Committee, who is representing the agency at the ongoing 13th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), said this was part of the agency's code.

According to him, the agency could now travel to any country where there was a sporting event to take samples from athletes and subject them to dope tests.

"It could be in any competition, whether national, regional, continental or world event, it could be in a football match between two countries," Xoagub said.

"The code allows WADA to take samples for tests without the prior knowledge of the athletes or organizers," he added.

He said countries bidding to host major competitions were now required to comply with the code.

"With effect from 2010, countries bidding to host major sports competitions are required to comply with the WADA Code," he said.

Xoagub, who is also Secretary-General of ANOCA Zone 6, said such countries must review the code, sign it and return to WADA, indicating their compliance with its provisions.

He said the code also required that athletes' whereabouts be known to the agency at any point so that it could have access to them.

Other items in the code include mandatory education program by countries, incentives for athletes to come forward, greater harmonization and enhanced flexibility.

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