WADA Executive Committee Meets in Montreal

The World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Executive Committee met this past weekend in Montreal, Canada, endorsing the approval of non-WADA accredited laboratories for blood analysis. 11 May 2010 By IPC

Representing the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) at the meeting from 8-9 May was President Sir Philip Craven, who provided information regarding Paralympic athletes and the Paralympic Movement.

Supporting the Athlete Biological Passport Programme, the decision on the laboratories for blood analysis followed a number of requests from stakeholders to use approved, non-WADA accredited facilities to increase the number worldwide. This includes those which have the capacity to analyze blood for the specific purpose of the Athlete Biological Passport Programme.

In order to receive WADA’s approval to conduct blood analysis as part of the Athlete Biological Passport Programme, existing haematological laboratories will have to fulfil a number of criteria. These criteria include in particular the support of at least one anti-doping organization; valid ISO accreditation; satisfactory participation in WADA’s External Quality Assessment Programme; compliance with WADA’s standards for blood analysis; as well as proper chain of custody requirements.

WADA President John Fahey said that this is a significant step forward that the anti-doping community will welcome.

The weekend also saw the Executive Committee and the Foundation Board discussing the ongoing review of the practical implementation of athlete whereabouts requirements by International Federations (IFs) and National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) and supported the current system in place.

The ongoing review of practice, which WADA has consistently indicated it would conduct after one year of application of the revised International Standard for Testing, is aimed at assessing how World Anti-Doping Code (Code) signatories have enforced whereabouts requirements under the Code and how they have exercised their discretion in the management of registered testing pools. This will allow WADA to determine whether practical recommendations are needed to help stakeholders collect appropriate whereabouts information supporting effective testing programmes.

The Executive Committee also approved protocols to further foster co-operation between anti-doping organizations in the doping control process.