OTTAWA, November 17, 2007 - The Honourable Helena Guergis, Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport), today affirmed Canada's support for the principles of the revised version of the World Anti-Doping Code, adopted at the Third World Conference on Doping in Sport, held from November 15 to 17, 2007, in Madrid, Spain.
The Code is designed to protect athletes' rights to fair competition and to standardize and harmonize anti-doping policies and programs worldwide.
"Canada is pleased that the new Code provides for more anti-doping educational activities," said Secretary of State Guergis. "I am particularly proud of the emphasis placed on young people and the next generation of athletes and sport leaders, which is vital to the long-term strategy to eradicate doping in sport. Canada continues to be firmly committed to the anti-doping movement and to promoting ethical conduct in all aspects of sport."
Secretary of State Guergis chaired the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Education Committee, an international advisory committee to the WADA Education Department, which is responsible for coordinating effective anti-doping education programs and helping to build knowledge and capacity among stakeholders to carry out their own effective programs.
Canada is host of WADA's headquarters in Montréal. WADA is an independent international agency that the International Olympic Committee and governments established jointly in 1999 to promote ethical conduct and harmonize the global fight against doping in sport.
The Canadian Anti-Doping Program, administered by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), is among the best in the world and is compliant with the Code. The CCES will consult with the Canadian sport community on the revised version of the Code to ensure that the Canadian Anti-Doping Program continues to be Code compliant and a leading anti-doping program. The revised Code is expected to be implemented as of January 1, 2009. Canada will also host the first Olympic and Paralympic Games under the revised Code in Vancouver in 2010.
Information:
Jeffrey Kroeker
Director of Communications and Parliamentary Affairs
Office of the Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport)
613 995-1293
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
