Montreal – Canada, Sept 10, 2012: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) today approved the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods for 2013 at its Executive Committee meeting in London. The new List will be made official and published by October 1 and will take effect on January 1, 2013. As one of the cornerstones in the global fight against doping, the List specifies substances and methods prohibited in sport, and it is a mandatory document for all organizations that have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code.
The annual revision of the List is a highly-consultative process facilitated by WADA, and begins with circulation of a draft List amongst its stakeholders. Comments are considered by WADA’s List Expert Group, which then presents its conclusions to WADA’s Health, Medical and Research Committee (HMRC). Recommendations are then made to WADA’s Executive Committee, which discusses the proposals before making a final decision at its September meeting.
“WADA is mandated to lead the scientific debate and serve as the catalyst for scientific advancements in the fight against doping in sport, and updating the List is a key component of that role,” explained WADA President John Fahey.
“The List is updated on an annual basis following thorough consultation with our stakeholders, and we are confident that since 2004 – the year in which WADA took responsibility for the List – we have developed a process that allows us to deliver as comprehensive a document as possible.
“Every year WADA is presented with new scientific and medical challenges and updating the List on an annual basis is one of the ways by which we keep on top of these developments,” added Mr. Fahey.
“The changes for 2013 will again add greater clarity to the List, and consequently it will be a better document to serve the world’s anti-doping community.”
2013 Monitoring Program
WADA, in consultation with Signatories and governments, is mandated to establish a Monitoring Program for substances which are not on the Prohibited List but which WADA wishes to monitor in order to detect patterns of misuse in sport. Pain relief medicine tapentadol has been added to the 2013 Monitoring Program, under narcotics to be monitored for possible in-competition abuse.
Code Review Process
The Executive Committee also examined in detail stakeholder recommendations made to amend the World Anti-Doping Code as part of its role as a guiding body for the Code Drafting Team. The Second Consultation Phase of the Code Review comes to an end on October 10, after which a second draft of the Code will be tabled at WADA’s Foundation Board meeting in Montreal on November 18.
“The Code Review process is well under way and the Executive Committee was able to thoroughly review some of the recommendations from interested parties and offer valuable advice and guidance to those responsible for drafting a new version,” explained Mr. Fahey.
“The Code governs the anti-doping activities of WADA and all its stakeholders and involvement of the Executive Committee in the Review Process is an important element of that consultative process.”
Science research funding
WADA’s September meeting is also the occasion at which the Executive Committee approves scientific research projects seeking funding. In 2012, 71 investigators from 22 different countries and representing five continents submitted research projects for WADA funding, and following a thorough process of review by the HMRC, 26 of these projects have been recommended for funding. Where applicable, these projects will undergo further review by independent ethical examiners and that second review is due to be completed by the end of November 2012.
“WADA maintains its commitment to funding high-quality scientific research as we look to develop ever-more sophisticated methods of detection,” added Mr. Fahey.
“We have said many times before that we face a constant battle against the science adopted by athletes who wish to dope, and the unscrupulous members of their entourage who help them to this end.
“Our challenge is to make the science of the anti-doping community more sophisticated than the science of the cheats – funding science research is crucial to this end.”
Next meetings
The Executive Committee will hold its next meeting on November 17, 2012, in Montreal. The Foundation Board will meet the following day. —- WADA
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