WMA accepts World Anti-Doping Code
WMA President Torsten Carlius has reported that World Masters Athletics will sign the 53-page World Anti-Doping Code. This could be good news for masters athletes taking doctor-prescribed medicines that are on the banned list. The code has a section on therapeutic use exemptions.
Here’s the drill:
Each international federation shall ensure that a process is in place whereby athletes with documented medical conditions requiring the use of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method may request a therapeutic use exemption. Such requests will be evaluated in accordance with the standards adopted by WADA.
The doping code also has provisions for reducing penalties if athletes can show they ingested banned substances in error.
Carlius also reports that WMA “will immediately start the work on building up a database containing per country all athletes who have been validated for participation at WMA World Championships which would reduce the paperwork for future entries essentially.â€
Other sections of the code stipulate when names of dopers have to be publicly divulged and how appeals can be made — all of major relevance to masters caught in the drug dragnet.
