From 3-5 June, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Athlete Committee convened its first ever Global Athlete Forum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to discuss key developments in anti-doping. With regret and surprise we state that none of the Russian athletes or members of the ROC Athletes’ Commission was invited to this event.
Whatever the motives of the organizers, who called this Forum a global forum, its holding without the participation of representatives of the country, which in recent years has carried out the most extensive anti-doping reforms and makes it as open as possible, looks, in our view, cynical.
Most recently, on June 1, with the assistance of the ROC Athletes’ Commission, the First Forum of Young Olympians was held in Moscow. It was entirely devoted to anti-doping issues, and the active participation of representatives of the IOC and the WADA in this event was organic, logical and effective.
We are trying to do everything possible to consolidate efforts to fight doping in the world. While the Global Forum, which was designed to serve the same purpose, is demonstratively leaving a number of participants of the Olympic movement beyond its vision, thus pushing the community of athletes on the path of division.
Protection of the rights of clean athletes is an important aspect. I would like to stress that it concerns all clean athletes, discrimination on the ground of national origin or belonging to a particular country.
Declaration of Support for the Olympic Charter was signed by Olympians representing all five continents at the inaugural World Olympians Forum organised by the World Olympians Association (WOA) in 2015. In particular, the declatation refers to the inadmissibility of any external influence on the world sports processes. Now, alas, the Olympic principles of respect and mutual understanding are once again being held hostage to the political situation.
The ROC Athletes’ Commission, for its part, expresses the hope that in the near future the interaction between all interested parties will be based on an equal, constructive basis. We are convinced that only through joint efforts can we ensure reliable protection of the rights of clean athletes. That is our common goal.
