International response

ASDA is committed to strengthening the global effort against doping so that Australian athletes are able to participate in fair competition internationally.

Facilitating international consistency

Collaboration with the World Anti-Doping Agency

ASDA continued to provide significant input to the development of the World Anti-Doping Program (WADP) being developed by WADA. The WADP consists of three levels:

During 2004–05, the Code and the four international standards were increasingly being implemented and referred to by international anti-doping organisations in the initiation and resolution of anti-doping matters.

During 2004–05 ASDA continued to assist WADA in the development of Level 3 of the WADP. ASDA provided leadership for an international drafting team in the development of the following documents:

ASDA also provided content input to documents relating to:

Regional leadership in Oceania

ASDA collaborated with WADA and the NZSDA to provide support to the Oceania National Olympic Committee in the establishment of anti-doping capacity in the Oceania region.

In October 2004 ASDA coordinated a week-long training program in Sydney for eight DCOs and four national Olympic committee representatives from Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea. The NZSDA has taken the lead on providing support to the new DCOs as they gain confidence and experience in the field. ASDA has also provided support in this area.

ASDA has been involved in discussions with WADA on the establishment of a Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) to be based in Fiji. It is anticipated that ASDA will maintain a high level of involvement in the operations and governance of the new Oceania RADO and in building regional capacity during 2005–06.

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Association of National Anti-Doping Organisations (ANADO)

As a well developed NADO, ASDA played an instrumental role in the establishment of ANADO in 2002 and maintains a leadership position on the Executive Committee. During 2004–05 the ANADO membership grew from 26 member organisations and one observer to 39 financial members and three observers.

In 2004–05 ANADO strengthened its role as a member-based organisation specifically for NADOs by improving the capacity of NADOs through regular exchange of information and discussions on commonly experienced problems. ANADO provides a forum to raise, discuss and determine solutions for strategic and technical issues specific to NADOs.

ANADO provides a forum to raise, discuss and determine solutions for strategic and technical issues specific to NADOs.

ANADO delivered three member workshops during the year. The first two workshops were conducted in November and April and focused on the implementation of the Code by NADOs. The third workshop in May focused on the development and delivery of athlete education and information. ASDA presented several sessions at each of the workshops.

ANADO was influential in ensuring that a combined NADO/IF workshop convened by WADA in April 2005, enabled the NADO perspective on a range of anti-doping issues to be considered.

With significant ASDA input, the ANADO Executive Committee developed the first strategic plan for the organisation in May 2005.

Anti-Doping International (ADI)

ADI was established in January 2004 to capitalise on the experience gained by the Australian, Norwegian and Canadian partners while conducting the WADA OOC test program as the Drug Free Sport Consortium (DFSC).

A decision was made in November 2004 to integrate the operations of ADI into ANADO, as its anti-doping services arm. This integration occured under the direction of the ANADO Executive Committee in 2005.

Although ADI was integrated into the operations of ANADO, ASDA continued to be a key partner in the final months of ADI’s work, assisting in strategic planning, business development, operations and the transition to new arrangements.

The ASDA CEO continued to be a member of the Board of Directors of ADI and an ASDA staff member was appointed to the role of General Manager to manage the operations of ADI. ADI was supported by an extensive network of NADOs.

ADI was a not-for-profit arrangement that dedicated its resources to the sport community and the shared goal of providing quality anti-doping services, building worldwide anti-doping capacity and achieving doping free sport.

ADI was successful in stimulating the development of better quality anti-doping programs in several areas of the world through the delivery of anti-doping services to international sports organisations and other NADOs who required testing on their athletes training and competing in overseas countries.

During 2004–05 ADI planned testing programs and conducted sample collection on behalf of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d‘Aviron, the International Rugby Board, and the Federation Internationale de Tir à l‘Arc. ADI also conducted testing missions on behalf of USADA, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), Anti-Doping Norway and the NZSDA.

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Representing Australia internationally

International Anti-Doping Arrangement (IADA)

Australia is a signatory to IADA along with Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and South Africa. IADA was formed in 1992 to pursue international harmonisation through the development and implementation of best practice national anti-doping programs. Membership consists of Government and NADO representatives from each signatory.

During 2004–05, ASDA led an IADA project group consisting of New Zealand, Canada and Finland to draft and develop guidelines for:

The guidelines are intended to be used by NADOs and IFs.

ASDA was also an influential member of an IADA group that determined whether there was value in proposing to WADA the development of an ISO Standard for Testing. IADA’s decision was not to recommend such a standard but to offer support to WADA in ensuring that NADOs accessed third party auditors to accredit their systems against ISO 9001:2000 and the IST.

Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention

The Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention came into effect in 1989 and Australia was the first non-European signatory to the Convention. The Convention aims to reduce and, eventually, eliminate doping in sport at all levels by establishing binding rules to harmonise anti-doping regulations.

The Convention includes measures to:

The Convention is currently the only international treaty or convention addressing doping in sport. The Monitoring Group is the relevant Council of Europe forum for overseeing the Convention. ASDA has represented the Australian Government at this forum since signing in 1994.

ASDA has represented the Australian Government at this forum since signing in 1994.

As it has since 2001, ASDA collated the statistics and information from all signatories and member anti-doping organisations with respect to their anti-doping programs. ASDA analysed the information and prepared a report which was presented to the Monitoring Group at the November 2004 meeting.

United Nations Education Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Anti-Doping Convention

ASDA has continued to provide input and advice on the development of the UNESCO Anti-Doping Convention. The UNESCO Convention will be the first truly global anti-doping convention and is the means by which Governments commit to the principles of the Code.

The Convention is expected to be adopted at the October 2005 session of UNESCO and will require ratification of 30 countries. It is anticipated that the Convention will come into effect prior to the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.

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International forums

ASDA staff addressed a number of key international forums throughout the year.

ASDA staff addressed a number of key international forums throughout the year. These contributions served to increase the profile and credibility of ASDA within the international anti-doping arena. The following are worthy of note:

International agreements

Through ADI and ANADO Anti-Doping Services, ASDA has been able to have the majority of tests conducted on Australian athletes overseas coordinated with other NADOs. Arranging testing through an umbrella organisation such as ADI, and now ANADO, has proved to be a cost-effective solution that also ensures ASDA legislative requirements are met through high quality collection services.

During 2004–05 ASDA used the services of ANADO to conduct 27 tests on Australian athletes internationally.

ASDA also supported and maintained 17 international bilateral agreements with various international bodies during 2004–2005. These agreements provide ASDA with additional opportunities to test foreign athletes in Australia and to have Australian athletes tested overseas.

During 2004–05 testing was conducted within Australia and overseas through the use of three of these agreements.

ASDA also signed a Sample Collection Service Partnership Agreement with WADA for 2004–05.

ASDA also signed a Sample Collection Service Partnership Agreement with WADA for 2004–05. Under this agreement ASDA conducts testing requested by WADA on a FFS basis.

A full list of international agreements is at Appendix H.

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Highlight — testing Australian athletes overseas

In order to maximise deterrence, ASDA undertook a major testing mission in Italy in April 2005. The aim of the mission was to collect blood and urine tests from a number of athletes training at a European base prior to major international competitions. The mission also reinforced ASDA’s message that testing can occur anytime, anywhere.

As ASDA does not have a bilateral agreement with the Italian NADO the testing mission was organised through ANADO. ANADO arranged the testing agency, the transportation of samples and the laboratory analysis.

A Letter of Authority from ASDA for each individual athlete was provided so the athletes were aware that the testing was being conducted on behalf of ASDA.

WADA programs in Athens

Two ASDA staff were selected by WADA to participate in their programs at the Athens Olympics and Paralympic Games.

One staff member was selected to be part of the Athlete Outreach Program. This program aimed to engage and inform athletes on anti-doping issues. The program was delivered through a strong presence in the athletes dining room where athletes could talk to international representatives, collect resources, participate in an on-line anti-doping quiz and win WADA branded prizes. 

Another ASDA employee was a member of the five person Independent Observer team for the Paralympic Games.  The role of this team was to observe and report on all aspects of the doping control process conducted by the Athens Organising Committee and the International Paralympic Committee.  The team prepared a report on their observations which is publicly available on the WADA website www.wada-ama.org.

Three of ASDA’s chaperones also volunteered their services to act as chaperones at the Paralympic Games.

Highlight — WADA Outreach program at Athens Olympic Games

It was an incredible experience being part of the WADA Outreach team at the Athens Olympics. The team consisted of international representatives from anti-doping organisations and the sporting world.

Many of the athletes who attended the Outreach booth had little to no education on anti-doping.

Being part of a team that capitalised on the valuable opportunity to meet athletes from all over the world, provide them with information on the fight against doping in sport and answer their questions on anti-doping issues was very rewarding.

I am very grateful to WADA and ASDA for providing me with the opportunity to be part of the Outreach program.

ASDA staff member 2005

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Photograph: The WADA outreach program promotes doping free sport.

The WADA outreach program promotes doping free sport.

Highlights — reflections of the Athens Paralympic Games

Inspiration here at the Paralympics is a constant—I am surrounded by experiences that inspire me—at the competition venues, in the streets, in the doping control room.

The Doping Control Venue Manager at the velodrome encapsulated it for me. He said to me that he had never been involved with "people like this” before.  “They are much stronger than us” he observed. 

“Yes”, I said thinking I would build on his contemplation –
“Stronger in the mind”. 
“No”, he said, emphatically,
“Stronger in the soul.” 
Stronger in the soul — that’s it.

ASDA staff member 2004 via email

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