Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/736806
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2016 53 THE most significant proposed reform is that WADA sets up an independent drug-testing unit "within its framework" that would work across borders and sports. Speaking to journalists via tel- econference after the summit, Bach said: "A centralised anti- doping programme - independent from sport and national interests and that could be customised for each sport and discipline - would provide more harmonisation to ensure a level playing field for clean athletes." This would, however, be a sig- nificant change for WADA as it has primarily a regulatory body, not a drug-testing operation, since its creation in 1999. And as Bach would like this unit to have greater intelligence-gath- ering and investigatory powers it will require a lot more money than the £23m a year WADA is currently given on a 50/50 basis by the IOC and national govern- ments. The key issue of funding was left until the penultimate para- graph of the Olympic Summit's "declaration", saying only that "the Olympic movement is ready to contribute to an increased fi- nancing along with the govern- ments" but that depends on "the implementation of the reforms... and based on the results provided by WADA". This suggests the Montreal- based body will have to agree to setting up this unit and then show that it is working before it receives any extra money. "If the reforms are implemented 100% this would mean a substan- tial commitment and a substan- tial increase in WADA's tasks and responsibilities, and that would mean a substantial increase in its budget," said Bach when pressed for details of how much more WADA might get. The 62-year-old German sug- gested that some of this money would simply be transferred from the pots of money each interna- tional federation is spending on its own anti-doping operation, and reiterated that whatever sport puts in, governments will be ex- pected to match. Bach, however, appear to rule out WADA president Sir Craig Reedie's idea of imposing a small anti-doping levy on broadcast- ers and sponsors, saying his per- sonal view was that sport should take the responsibility in the fight against doping. "And it would happen anyway," he added. "As sport gets its money from broadcasters and sponsors so any extra funding would come from there." Among the other key reforms suggested by the summit was the proposal that major anti-doping sanctions are "delegated" to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, effectively changing what is cur- rently sport's highest court of ap- peal to a court of first instance. Bach said this would solve the problem of WADA and other anti- doping agencies being prosecutor and judge in cases, as well as sav- ing time and money given many cases eventually end up at CAS. He did not explain how and where people would appeal against ini- tial CAS rulings, though. And this would obviously in- crease an already busy workload and require more funding for the Lausanne-based court. Bach said talks had already started with CAS and it was working on speed- ing up the legal process. Given the fact this summit was summoned as a response to the often acrimonious fallout from this summer's Russian doping crisis, the declaration and Bach's comments were diplomatic, measured and sensible. The immediate build-up to the Lausanne gathering had been punctuated by attacks from both sides of the argument - the sports and IOC on one side, WADA and national anti-doping agencies on the other - but there is nothing in the declaration to upset either side. Nobody would disagree that an- ti-doping efforts need to be more consistent, joined-up and better value-for-money, and everybody recognises that Reedie's position this summer was weakened by him also being an IOC vice-pres- ident. So moves to clarify respon- sibilities and address conf licts of interest are welcome. But it is telling that no explicit mention is made of Russia in the declaration and that it took nearly half an hour of the teleconference for Bach to refer to the state-spon- sored doping scandal that nearly derailed this summer's Olympics. That came when Bach repeated his previously-stated belief that Richard McLaren, the Canadian law professor who uncovered Rus- sia's systemic cheating for WADA, failed to give Russia a chance to explain its side of the story. "Following normal judicial pro- cess, you have to make a difference between prosecutor and judge to have a sustainable sanction," said Bach, an Olympic fencing cham- pion who became a lawyer. There was, however, one indi- rect mention of Russia in that the IOC urged WADA to beef up its internet security measures after Russian-linked hackers stole ath- letes' medical records from its database. In a press release issued soon af- ter Bach's teleconference, WADA said it "acknowledged" the IOC's "recommendations in principle". "WADA welcomes all construc- tive proposals aimed at reinforc- ing clean sport," added Reedie. "Today's summit was one more stop on our road to strengthening WADA and the global anti-dop- ing system. "The recommendations that were put forward today will be considered along with others that we have received from stakehold- ers on such key topics as: WADA's governance and funding model; consequences for non-compli- ance; investigations; and testing." WADA will get a chance to de- cide its next step at a meeting of its "foundation board" in Glasgow on November 20, when Reedie said a "roadmap" to a new, im- proved agency will be drawn up. Sport WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY Reforms key to IOC's WADA backing International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach promised a "substantial" increase in funding for the World Anti-Doping Agency but only if it agrees to a list of reforms decided at an Olympic Summit in Lausanne Thomas Bach wants change at WADA