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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth announces anti-doping aid package for member states

12 August 2004

The Commonwealth is to step up the fight against drug abuse in sport.

Sports ministers from the organisation's 53 member states meeting in Athens today on the eve of the Olympics, have issued an action plan to ensure that all Commonwealth countries can take part in the worldwide anti-doping campaign.

The conference was addressed by Dick Pound, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and now the Commonwealth's London-based Secretariat will be funding new technical advisers to operate alongside WADA staff in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said: "We know that 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."

One third of Commonwealth countries came to the conference not having yet signed up to 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 doping laboratories, has promised to help developing nations by passing on knowledge and best practice.

Richard Caborn, the chairman of the meeting and UK's sports minister, 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 also includes a pledge to co-operate so that developing nations will get valuable help to enable them to compete to stage international sporting events - either on their own, or jointly with other countries. Those which have won major events, like 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 also 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 the Secretary-General. This new group's remit will include the promotion of sport as a tool for economic and social development.

Note to Editors:

The full Commonwealth Action Plan will be available on the Commonwealth Secretariat's website http://www.thecommonwealth.org/.

For further information please contact Mwambu Wanendeya, Commonwealth Secretariat Communications and Public Affairs Division, on +44 7730 900020 or John Evans, UK Department for Culture Media and Sport, on +44 7880 505128.

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6385/6 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081
Email: info@commonwealth.int