From 1 to 2 April, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) organized a symposium to allow International Federations (IFs) and WADA to exchange information and views on recent developments in the area of anti-doping and anti-doping administration, particularly on World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) compliance and IF roles and responsibilities with regard to the implementation of the revised WADC by 1 January 2009.

Peter Van de Vliet, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Medical & Scientific Director, and Sophie Berwick, IPC Anti-Doping Manager, participated in the symposium.

Said Mr. Van de Vliet: “Participation in the WADA IF Symposium is not only a unique opportunity to meet colleagues from other International Federations and exchange experiences and views on anti-doping, it is also an opportunity to reflect upon your own anti-doping management within the framework of changing rules and regulations. Of particular interest was the joint meeting with the colleagues of the National Anti-Doping Agencies (NADOs) on the second day of the symposium. NADOs and IFs are complementary partners in the dedication to a drug free and fair sport environment for all athletes and sharing the same meeting room allows a better understanding of respective roles and functions and fine-tuning of co-operation.”

Along with the WADA IF Symposium, Ms. Berwick also attended a two-day ANADO Workshop and the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) training.

ADAMS is the on-line database for day-to-day anti-doping administration, developed by WADA. The IPC was the first major event organizer to fully implement ADAMS during the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games.

As a WADA Stakeholder IPC has the responsibility to implement a revised IPC Anti-Doping Code, compliant to the revised WADC, by 1 January 2009.

For more information about the symposium, please visit the official website at www.wada-ama.org.