CCES applauds IAAF Decision to uphold ban on Russian Athletics

(Ottawa, Ontario – June 17, 2016) – Canada’s anti-doping agency is applauding today’s decision by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to uphold a ban on international competition for all members of the Russian Athletics Federation.

The ban was imposed last November following the release of a scathing report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which found systemic, “state-sponsored” cheating in Russian Athletics. Upholding the ban means Russian track and field athletes will not be eligible to compete at this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio.

“Today’s decision sends the right message,” said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES). “Protecting the integrity of international sport means taking the necessary steps to ensure that cheaters are caught and sanctioned so that clean athletes can be assured of a level playing field.”

“We applaud the IAAF’s commitment to clean sport and encourage the Russian Athletics Federation to continue taking the necessary steps to comply with international standards,” he added.

Here in Canada, high-performance athletes benefit from the education and testing services offered through the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP).

Introduced on January 1, 2015, the revised CADP meets the more stringent requirements of the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code. The CCES is responsible for implementing the Code in Canada on behalf of the Canadian sport community.  

“Through the first phase of implementation, there was a record number of doping control tests,” said Melia, “and efforts to educate Canadian athletes and their support personnel have never been more extensive.”

“These efforts are in line with what Canadians expect,” Melia added. “A recent survey commissioned by the CCES found that eight out of 10 Canadian adults believe that Canada must continue to actively combat doping – even if other countries do not.

The CCES is an independent, national, not-for profit organization with a responsibility to administer the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. We are committed to working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.

 

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