Medical and Anti-Doping Committees See Strong Co-operation

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Medical and Anti-Doping Committees recently held their annual meetings in Bonn, Germany, where members in a joint meeting agreed to strengthen co-operation between both committees in operational management and anti-doping matters.

The joint meeting also saw agreement in conducting an interim review of the IPC Anti-Doping Code on the basis of two years experience with the revised version, which has been in use since 1 January 2009.

During the separate gathering for the Medical Committee, emphasis was put on the development of the IPC Medical Code which will provide a core document to the Paralympic Movement ensuring athlete health and safety. A final document will be submitted to the IPC Governing Board for approval in December, and this code will serve as the framework for the Medical Committee’s future work.

Additionally, the committee decided that the decision to “Return to Field of Play” should lay with the team physician. Though the physician is the most knowledgeable about the athletes’ situation, it was recommended that other expertise wherever needed would also be sought.

In the Anti-Doping Committee’s separate gathering, a policy for financial sanction for anti-doping rule violations was finalized and proposed to the IPC Governing Board for approval.

Additionally, strategies to strengthen code compliance by the IPC Membership were discussed and suggestions were made for educational programmes tailored to National Paralympic Committees, International Federations and athletes.