New WADA president meets with IOC

New World Anti-doping Agency president John Fahey met today with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) head Jacques Rogge at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne to discuss strategies in the fight against doping in sport. Also present were the heads of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) as well as the Chairpeople of the IOC Athletes' and Medical Commissions.

Rogge expressed his support for WADA, but said that more still needed to be done to fight doping. "WADA has come a long way with the establishment of the World Anti-Doping Code, for example, but challenges remain. Efforts are still needed to allow the full implementation of the Code by the Olympic Movement by January 1, 2009 and the adhesion by governments to the UNESCO Convention. I am confident that Mr Fahey will significantly help to move things forward," said Rogge.

Rogge went on to say that this year's Summer Games would see 4,500 in- and out-of-competition tests carried out in Beijing, and called upon governments and National Olympic Committees to keep any athlete who has been sanctioned for more than six months out of the Games.

Fahey was pleased to get a promise of co-operation from Rogge, and laid out the plan for his administration. "I will be focusing much attention on maximising the role of governments for enhanced cooperation and sharing of information between governmental and law enforcement agencies and sports authorities."

"High-profile doping cases and investigations underscore the fact that no sport and no country are immune to the threat of doping, as well as the critical need for strong collaborative sport-government efforts in confronting doping," the Australian concluded.

WADA is funded by and composed in equal parts of the Olympic Movement and governments of the world. Under the Agency's Statutes, the WADA Presidency and Vice-Presidency alternate between the sports movement and governments.