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In this extract from an article published by the World Federation of Sporting goods (WFSGI), Sir Craig Reedie, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency outlines the importance of preserving the integrity of sport, now more than ever before. We recently interviewed Sir Reedie, who further highlighted integrity as a key component to building a successful sports career as well as sharing advice to support today’s sports industry professionals.
Since 1999, WADA has led the way in preserving the integrity of sport through its many accomplishments, including development of a UNESCO Convention and the introduction of the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code. However, as the world has witnessed over the last two years, there is still a long way to go to educate athletes, their support teams and indeed governments that there is validity in having clean sport.
In Sir Craig Reedie’s article he shares his belief, and that of all those at WADA, that playing and competing in sport strengthens character, fosters healthy values, and boosts the integrity of those participating and those who take in sport as spectators. A sport movement with integrity as one of its core set of values is one that can be recognized as genuine in its dealings, is forever championing sportsmanship, and most important of all provides a safe, fair environment for all those competing. This core value is at the heart of WADA’s philosophy of fair play in sport.
Shaping the future for clean sport
Sir Reedie believes the future of clean sport is a promising one, despite that today the very integrity of sport is at stake and under greater scrutiny than ever before. He explains, that with every new incident of doping that occurs, sport loses a little morsel of those values that we hope to find in the playing of games. It falls to the dedicated members of the anti-doping community to step up to this ever present danger and ensure that the right values are upheld, that sport remains honest, and that athletes never feel like they can’t enter into a competition without sensing the pressure to compromise their health or values to achieve success. The win-at-all-costs mentality should never prevail over honest, fair sport.
Sir Reedie details some of the many activities WADA now has in place from education, research and athlete committees to support a future of clean sport. Highlighing that WADA fosters the next generation of athletes through preventative education and showing to the world that doping never leads to the success that it promises. WADA has built robust systems, in line with the 2015 Code, that are aimed at the protection of clean sport. What is absolutely vital now is ensuring that those tasked with practicing anti-doping rules do so more effectively, since a system is only as good as the players on the pitch.
Protecting the integrity of sport is at the core of everything WADA does. Sport is an incredible tool to foster and maintain moral values, develop character and positively shape the body and minds of future generations. It is vital to the existence of clean sport that we continue our work in partnership with the global anti-doping community to protect and honour those values intrinsic in sport.
Following the path of integrity is not always an easy one to take, but in the end it is always the correct path to take. This is a lesson, Sir Reedie explains he hopes the sporting world will carry with it as the future of the anti-doping system is strengthened.
This extract is from an article originally published by our partners the World Federation of Sporting Goods (WFSGI). To read Sir Craig Reedie full article on page 16 of the WFSGI magazine click here .
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