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Commonwealth Announces Anti-Doping Aid Package for Member States

19 August 2004

The Commonwealth has stepped up its fight against drug abuse in sport. Commonwealth sports ministers have issued an action plan to ensure that all Commonwealth countries participate in the worldwide anti-doping campaign.

Ministers sign up to the new Commonwealth initiative

The ministers initiated the move at a Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting in Athens on 12 August 2004, on the eve of the Olympics.

Under their directive, the Commonwealth Secretariat will be funding new technical advisers to operate alongside staff of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. 

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said: "Some countries do not have the resources to play a full part in the fight against drug abuse in sport without external assistance. These new advisers will be able to spread the message and pass on advice to those most in need of assistance."

 At the Athens Meeting, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Cook Islands signed the Copenhagen Declaration, which commits nations to implement WADA's tough anti-doping code.  

The United Kingdom, one of the few countries with two WADA-recognised laboratories, has promised to help developing nations by passing on knowledge and best practice.  

UK Sports Minister Richard Caborn, who chaired the meeting, said: "We know that drug abuse is a cancer which has to be rooted out for the good of sport. Countries like the UK have valuable experience which we are only too happy to share with other Commonwealth nations. We are determined that there must be no weak links in the fight against drugs in sport."  

The Commonwealth ministers' action plan includes a pledge to help developing nations compete in staging international sporting events -- either on their own, or jointly with other countries. Those which have won the hosting of major events such as Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, will pass on their knowledge of how to successfully bid for championships and then stage them.  

The conference committed Commonwealth countries to promoting full participation by women in sport. Ministers also endorsed the establishment of a Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS), following a presentation by Mr McKinnon. The aim is to promote sport as a tool for economic and social development.