As announced to its General Assembly on 27 March in Denver, USA, GAISF will provide centralised anti-doping advice, support and services to IFs that need them, with the objective of ensuring that they implement and enforce anti-doping rules and programmes in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code.
The GAISF programme will operate from Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC and WADA will contribute toward costs. GAISF will hire an anti-doping manager, who should be operational and provide expert advice and services in the coming months.
“The IOC is happy to support this cooperative effort to help International Sports Federations fight doping,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge. “We have to work together to rid sport of cheaters. The IOC is more than ever committed to that effort, and welcomes this new initiative.”
“Through unity and synergies, we believe that the world of sport will be stronger when tackling global challenges together,” added GAISF President Hein Verbruggen. “Anti-doping is a major issue for IFs today, and organising together the fight against doping will enable us to reduce costs and the administrative burden on IFs. This is one of GAISF’s commitments: better service and support for our members.”
“As the monitor of the global fight against doping in sport and the guardian of the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA is very pleased to contribute to the establishment of this anti-doping support for IFs,” said WADA Director General David Howman.
“Over the past four years, WADA has successfully experienced a similar collective resource approach with the establishment of Regional Anti-Doping Organisations in regions of the world with limited resources.
This model has allowed the implementation of anti-doping programmes in numerous regions with significant economies of scale. We are looking forward to starting to work with GAISF on this matter.”
