German Athletes Commission demands for responsibility and financial participation of all stakeholders in international anti-doping management

Editor’s Note: This statement was translated & published by the German Athlete’s Commission.

Last week the annual symposium of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was held in Lausanne from 13th to 15th March 2017.

The athletes are still horrified about the conditions with what a battle against doping is fought on the international level playing field. The sport is still heavily damaged and everything needs to be done — quickly — to ensure that the athletes get back their confidence in international anti-doping management and sport organizations.

As a matter of this urgent principle athletes see that lifetime of a whole sport generation is running as an athlete’s generation of youngsters cannot follow the lengthy voting in committees and meetings for years. In time a performance sports career passes by and there is still no modern anti-doping management.

Athletes accept an anti-doping management and they want to interact with their organizations and sport federations seriously and do their part to re-gain confidence in professional elite sports on the international level playing field.

The athletes therefore call out to all international and national stakeholders in sports to participate in anti-doping management in order to enable financially a strong and independent World Anti-Doping Agency in work together with the National Anti-Doping Agencies.

Moreover the athletes support the Copenhagen Declaration of NADO Leaders and thinking for:

Strengthening WADA:

• To become independent with budgeting, decision making and investigation form sport organizations
• The institutional involvement of further stakeholders — such as NADOs, laboratories as well as athletes etc.
• Re-thinking of the governance structures, elimination of conflicts of interest and division of powers (WADA as regulator, observer and monitoring, NADOs as executives, CAS who sanctions)
• Sanctions against national associations and countries

Furthermore the athletes demand for strengthening athletes rights:

• National associations and countries have a duty of care for their athletes and the athletes personal rights
• A stronger integration and involvement of athletes in all decisions concerning anti-doping matters worldwide is base of confidential and responsible interaction between athletes, sport federations and anti-doping bodies

Therefore German Athletes Commission supports entirely the preparation of WADA Athletes Committee, chaired by former cross-country skier Beckie Scott, to define an Athletes Rights Charta.

The German Athletes Commission is the elected and representing body by the German Athletes. Their members are: Maximilian Hartung (Fencing, Chair), Silke Kassner (Wildwater Canoeing, Vice Chair), Karina Winter (Archery), Daniel Hermann (Ice Dancing), Felix Rijhnen (Speed Skating), Manuela Schmermund (Paralympic Shooting), Marion Rodewald (European Athletes Commission), Britta Heidemann (Athletes Commission of the IOC), Richard Schmidt (WADA Athletes Commission).

About the TFAA
The Track & Field Athletes Association (TFAA) is a 501(c)(4) organization formed to support the rights and interests of professional track & field athletes. We are the Athlete’s Voice. Visit trackfieldaa.com for more information.