Home > News > Doping Control >

The S. Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka

2013-04-08 09:42 OCA

05 Apr 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The South Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SARADO) Conference was officially convened in the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka on 3-5 April 2013. The Conference was officially opened under the patronage of Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, The Minister of Sports in Sri Lanka, and the Minister of Sports in Sri Lanka on 3rd April 2013 at the Blue Water Hotel, Wadduwa, Sri Lanka.

Dr. Saroj Krishnan Shrestha, chairman of SARADO, officially opened the 6th Annual SARADO Board meeting held on April 3-4, 2013 and attended by the representatives of the member countries in the South Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SARADO) namely; Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka (the Host country); and Mr. Mahid Sharif Mohammad , Director General of the SARADO office in Maldives.

The World Anti-Doping Agency and Olympic Council of Asia attended the meeting. WADA was represented by Mr. Kazuhiro Hayashi, Director, and Ms. Chiho Miki, Coordinator, of Asia/Oceania Regional Office. Ms. Nadiah AL Shamali, Manager of the Doping Control Department in the Olympic Council of Asia participated as an observer.

During the meeting, the representatives of members’ countries and the Director General of SARADO have discussed the strategic plan for2013-2016, Action Plan 2013 and other issues. WADA briefed the attendees on recent WADA’s activities and major changes occurred on the reviewed World Anti-Doping Code. The UNEASCO Fund Voluntarily was brought into the discussion and all members’ countries and the SARADO regional office is strongly encouraged to apply for it.

The Manager of Doping Control Department in OCA gave a briefing on the forthcoming Asian Games in 2013 and 2014; and introduced the International Asian Doping Control Officer Exchange Programme (IADCEP), where a number of the doping control officers are selected from the Asian countries to take part in the sample collection process during the Games.

She pointed that the IADCEP gives a good opportunity to the doping control officers to share and exchange knowledge and experiences and to build a strong networking. In parallel with that, a Doping Control Officers Workshop was conducted on 3-5 April 2013; and it was delivered by Mr. James Joseph John Jones, UKAD attended by 14 participants; 13 participants from the members’ countries and one participant from OCA.

The participants underwent intensive theoretical and practical training sessions. These participants shall be the key and main core of Sample Collection Personnel at their respective countries. The representatives of the member countries and the Director General of SARADO office have expressed their appreciation and thanks to WADA and OCA for their continual and firm support in establishing the Anti-Doping Programmers in the region.

There are 15 established RADOs in worldwide, among those five RADOs in Asia Continent. The five Asian RADO offices are located in Maldives (South Asia), Singapore (South East Asia), Jordan (West Asia), Kuwait (GCCY) and Kazakhstan (Central Asia). The Conference was officially concluded on 5 April 2013.

Related Story