Montreal, July 4, 2003 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) welcomed with great satisfaction the formal adoption of the World Anti-Doping Code by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today during its session in Prague (Czech Republic).

‘The adoption of the Code by acclamation by the IOC is a strong signal for the entire sports movement’, said Richard W. Pound, WADA’s president. ‘This decision will encourage sports organizations that have not formally adopted the Code yet to do so at their congresses planned during the year, so that the Code can be implemented prior to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. It shows also once again the commitment to the fight against doping in sport of the IOC and of its President, Jacques Rogge, who has committed to leaving no place in the Olympic Games for International Sports Federations and National Olympic Committees that don’t adopt the Code.’

The World Anti-Doping Code is the first document to harmonize the rules and regulations concerning anti-doping across all countries and all sports. The document was approved by delegates at the World Conference on Doping in Sport, which brought together 1,200 participants in Copenhagen (Denmark) from March 3 to 5, 2003.

The list of sports organizations who have formally adopted the Code, as well as governments who have signed the Copenhagen Declaration Against Doping in Sport, affirming their intention to adopt and implement the Code, can be found on WADA’s website (www.wada-ama.org).

For more details contact:

Frederic Donze, media relations manager
Tel: +1-514-904-8820
Cell: +1-514-979-8820
Email: frederic.donze@wada-ama.org