Officials debate anti-doping code

MONTREAL (AP) -- Officials of the World Anti-Doping Agency argued Monday over penalties and deadlines for the proposed global anti-doping code for international sports.

The code, which would be the first set of universal doping rules, is scheduled to be completed at an international anti-doping conference in March in Copenhagen, Denmark.

WADA president Dick Pound, who also is a top International Olympic Committee official, wants the code in place for the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Pound also wants governments of all countries in the Olympic movement to adopt the code, which means professional leagues like the NFL, NBA and NHL would come under the regulation.

He said Monday the Copenhagen conference, expected to invite more than 1,000 delegates and journalists, should consider a final version of the code rather than hammer out details.

"I don't want Copenhagen to be the opening of a great debate. We're not going to start redrafting the code or standards," he said, adding the event "could be the most important meeting in the history of the fight against doping in sports."

The code would establish a single list of banned substances, mandate rigorous out-of-competition testing, and set standard penalties and suspensions for drug cheats, including two-year bans for serious offenses.

At Monday's meeting, board members focused on fundamental elements of the code, including the lengths of proposed bans and how an athlete would appeal their disqualification.

"Defining what is to be done to reduce the penalty is where the devils are in the details," said Richard Young, a WADA official working on the code project.

WADA communications officer Frederic Donze said the penalties would likely be the focus of major debate until the code is adopted. The deadline for responses to the second draft is Dec. 10.

 

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