WADA urges more funding, sanctioning powers

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) needs to increase funding and to enlarge sanctioning powers, the agency has said after summarising results of consultations with other sport organisations.

WADA held consultations with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Associations of Summer and Winter Olympic International Federations and many other institutions to discuss challenges to the current anti-doping system on Tuesday.

"Among other matters that were discussed, participants reached consensus on the need for Centralised World Anti-Doping Code (Code) compliance monitoring by WADA with proportionate and graded sanctioning powers," A WADA statement said.

It added that additional funding will be required for regular audit and monitoring of subordinated organisations. According to WADA, boosted resources would improve the agency's ability to ensure proper anti-doping control.

"It is clear to me, and to those that were around the table today, that we need to build on WADA's successes by broadening their mandate and strengthening their autonomy to prevent, deter and detect cheaters," WADA Athlete Committee Chair Beckie Scott said, as quoted in the statement.

Earlier in September, the heads of 17 anti-doping agencies proposed a number of reforms to overhaul WADA in the wake of recent doping scandal.

Anti-doping agency heads from countries including France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, adopting proposals which include making WADA more independent and strengthening the sanctions imposed on doping rule breakers.

The doping scandal, simmering since 2014, escalated in July when WADA presented a report accusing Russia of running a state-wide doping program and urging the IOC to consider a blanket ban on the entire Russian team.

The IOC instead opted to let individual sports federations decide on the matter. The IPC banned all Russian Paralympic athletes from the 2016 Summer Paralympics and 2018 Winter Games.

--IANS

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