Yesterday and today, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Athlete Committee (Committee) convened their second meeting of the year in London, United Kingdom. The Committee used the opportunity to engage several athlete representatives from leading British International Federations and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) concerning topics of common interest related to Clean Sport. The meeting, which was graciously hosted and supported by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and UK Sport, had the following outcomes:

1. Further to broad stakeholder consultation, the Committee will work with partners to develop a Charter of Athletes Rights, which it first proposed during WADA’s Annual Symposium in March 2017. Under the leadership of FairSport, an independent foundation dedicated to eradicating cheating in sport, the Committee will focus on the anti-doping elements of the Charter involving partners such as: the Athlete Committees of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC); National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs); International Federations (IFs); and Governments.
2. The Committee will continue contributing to WADA’s governance review – a review that was endorsed by the Agency’s Foundation Board in November 2016.
3. The Committee requested that, for the purposes of transparency, RUSADA’s testing statistics be made public, including how access to closed cities is being managed.
4. The Committee requested that the IOC and IPC report, in a transparent manner, on the results of the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games retesting program.
5. The Committee welcomed the accelerated development of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories, which was endorsed by WADA’s Foundation Board in May 2017.
6. The Committee requested that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) improve and strengthen its independence and continually strive to increase the quality of its arbitrators.
7. The Committee developed and agreed a three-year strategic plan.
8. The Committee agreed to provide feedback to WADA concerning development of the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS).

“The WADA Athlete Committee is pleased with its two-day meeting, which resulted in key outcomes that will engage more athletes worldwide around clean sport,” said Beckie Scott, Chair, WADA’s Athlete Committee. “Most notably, we are proud that development of a Charter of Athletes Rights is advancing; as are continued efforts to ensure that the voice of athletes is heard at all levels of the anti-doping movement,” said Scott. “The Committee was particularly happy to lend its support to the IAAF’s Athlete Commission as they spread the Play True message during their World Championships,” Scott continued. “Together, we are committed to creating a world where athletes choose to stay clean out of self-respect, fairness to their fellow competitors, and for the pure joy that sport brings.”

“With the sporting world’s attention fixed on London for the World Championships, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) was delighted to invite the WADA Athlete Committee to its outreach booth to help communicate to competitors the importance of a values-driven sport,” said Brett Clothier, AIU Head. “WADA has one of the most respected Athlete Committees in international sport; and so, in welcoming Beckie Scott and her team to our Outreach Program today, we have helped deliver an even more impactful integrity message to the hundreds of athletes competing in London,” added Clothier.

• This media statement was originally published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on 9 August 2017. To access the original, please click here.