By Liam Morgan |
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening investigations and intelligence has been signed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Qatar-based International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS).
The agreement will see the two organizations coordinate their efforts to better fight doping activities, the trafficking of banned substances and match-fixing.
“The support shall be limited to anti-doping measures and match-fixing that are directed towards the prevention and suppression of doping activities and trafficking of doping substances, when the latter constitute ordinary law crimes,” a statement from WADA read.
Günter Younger, director of intelligence and investigations at WADA, claimed the MoU would enhance the organisation’s ability for more “robust” intelligence and investigations.
“The MoU will also involve both parties encouraging the implementation of relevant legislation in all countries to enable partners to fight efficiently against the trafficking of doping substances, match-fixing and other forms of sports corruption,” he added.
ICSS director, capacity building and education and director of the Sport Integrity Unit, Dale Sheehan, welcomed the agreement with WADA.
“Our Sport Integrity Unit will use this working agreement with WADA to expand our intelligence network and strengthen our capacity to investigate,” said Sheehan.
“This MoU with WADA brings joint expertise together and is a significant step forward for the ongoing success of our sport integrity hotline which has been set up to provide an independent, international platform for those wanting to report wrongdoing in sport.
“We welcome this cooperation and the ICSS is proud to be of support and service to the excellent work of WADA.”
The deal was announced after WADA published an independent audit of the department headed by Younger.
The audit, carried out by Commander of the Vaud Cantonal Police Jacques Antenen, supported calls from Younger and other WADA officials for the department to be given additional resources and personnel.
It admitted the department was still in its infancy and was a work in process but praised the work carried out by the group so far.
“These considerations do not prevent me from asserting that the department does a remarkable job, given its resources,” the report from Antenen, published by WADA, said.
“The results are conclusive.
“The work procedures are in place.
“They are efficient, and there is no reason to expect an improvement through some type of reorganisation.
“The department simply needs to be given additional means.”
The department has investigated the International Biathlon Union and concerns around teams in the sport in the past year and confirmed in May that positive samples were covered-up by the Bucharest Laboratory.
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.