February 8, 2007 – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) would like to invite members of the Canadian sport community and all Canadians to assist us in improving Canadian and international anti-doping rules.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has released a draft of the new World Anti-Doping Code (Code) for comment. The CCES will submit comments on the draft of the new Code on behalf of the Canadian sport community. Once finalized, the new Code will be implemented in Canada and for Canadian sport by revising the Canadian Anti-Doping Program.

In order to assist us in preparing a persuasive and comprehensive submission, the CCES will host a Sport Community Forum for discussion and review of the draft of the new Code on February 22, 2007, 12 pm (noon) to 2 pm EST at the Congress Centre, Ottawa, Ontario. A light lunch will be served. The briefing will be accessible by teleconference and webcast. RSVP to info@cces.ca.

For those who are unable to attend the Sport Community Forum, the CCES would appreciate receiving your comments by March 5, 2007 sent to NewCode@cces.ca. The proposed Canadian sport community submission will be released for comment March 12, 2007, and submitted to WADA and all participants by March 30, 2007.

The Code has been instrumental in harmonizing anti-doping rules world-wide. It has raised the standards of anti-doping programs in Canada and abroad. This has enhanced the protection of Canadian athletes’ right to doping-free sport. But there is room for improvement.

Three areas for change in the draft new Code are particularly noteworthy:

Sanctions may be increased for “aggravated circumstances” when for example doping is deliberate cheating. Certain doping substances (steroids, hormones and amphetamines) may result in tougher sanctions. Failure of athletes to provide whereabouts information and/or missing tests will be treated more severely. But to better address inadvertent doping, or errors without intent to cheat, sanctions may be relaxed in some situations.

The range of misconduct that constitutes an anti-doping rule violation is expanded (for example through expanded definitions of “tampering” and “trafficking” or through urine or blood profiling). More emphasis is to be placed on pursuing violations by athlete support personnel.

All Code signatories must provide mandatory education to athletes and athlete support personnel about prohibited substances and methods, health consequences of doping, managing the risks of nutritional supplements and the harm of doping to the ethical values of sport.

The Canadian Anti-Doping Program belongs to Canadian sport and all Canadians. It is part of the rules of sport of all federally funded and recognized sports in Canada. The Program implements the Code for Canadian sportsmen and sportswomen. The views of Canadians and their sport organizations are vital to Canadian and international anti-doping rules that are fair, practical and effective.

Tell the CCES what you think about the draft new Code so we can make Canada’s voice heard.