Regional anti-doping efforts get educational boost

Fri Dec 20, 2013

The Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO) recently concluded a successful two-day meeting of its 15 member countries in Barbados, where board members and educators met to advance anti-doping education across the Caribbean region.{{more}}

Sponsored by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the education training was designed to provide member countries with specific educational tools and approaches that can be adopted and adapted to suit local realities. Rob Koehler, director of Programme Development & Education at WADA, stressed that “it’s not all about testing….education must be the hallmark of our global efforts so that athletes understand the fundamental difference between cheating and playing fairly in all sports”.

Leading the education training was Lea Cleret, WADA’s manager of Education, who was satisfied that participants left the training more empowered and equipped to implement anti-doping programmes in their countries.

WADA officials also had discussions with the Hon. Stephen Lashley, Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, and Steve Stoute, President of the Barbados Olympic Association.

The Board of the Caribbean RADO also met to review this year’s operations, and to plan for 2014 ahead of the revisions to the World Anti-Doping Code that will take effect on January 1, 2015. This week’s events will make a significant dent in accelerating current regional anti-doping programmes and ensure that all countries expand efforts to reach the sports fraternity, especially athletes, as comprehensively as possible.

The Caribbean RADO’s member countries include Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Turks & Caicos Islands and Trinidad & Tobago.