NASSAU, The Bahamas – By enacting legislation discouraging drug use in sports, The Bahamas will be ensuring its full compliant with “world norms” in the fight against doping in sports, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon Desmond Bannister said.
“We are seeking to ensure that the cheaters will never again take glory away from honest competitors on the world stage in the sporting arena,” Minister Bannister said.
“And we do it at a time when the world is learning that even at last year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, several athletes, including gold medalists tested positive for prohibited substances,” he added.
He was speaking in the House of Assembly during debate on a Bill for an Act to Provide for the Implementation of Measures to Discourage the Use of Drugs and Doping Methods in Sports, and for Related Purposes.
The proposed legislation will provide for the legal authority to test any athlete who is in The Bahamas, to enter into reciprocal agreements with other countries, and to test Bahamian athletes in other countries, he explained.
The Bill seeks to create a National Anti Doping Commission, an Anti Doping Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee, a Disciplinary Panel, and an Appeals Tribunal.The Anti Doping Commission will be appointed by the Minister, who must be satisfied of the high integrity of members and their ability to exercise sound judgment. The Director of Sports will be a member ex officio.
“The Commission will have the duty to promulgate anti-doping rules, to implement the policies and programs of the Government against doping in sports, and to do all that is necessary to comply with and implement the World Anti Doping Code,”
Minister Bannister said.It is important that the Bill imposes on the Commission the obligation to protect the privacy and the right to privacy of athletes, he said, and to ensure that appropriate and fair procedures are developed to reflect the needs of athletes under the age of 18 years.
The Commission will also be responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring information and education programs for the purpose of educating members of the general public, athletes, parents and support personnel about doping matters, including health consequences, ethical values in sports, the rights and responsibilities of athletes, and information on nutritional supplements, he said.
It is ‘critical’ for young people to know what is on the prohibited list, he said.
“The athlete’s intention can be pure and noble, but if a prohibited substance is found in his body there will be consequences for him.
“That is why I believe that this Bill provides such a wonderful educational opportunity for us to teach young people about the potentially harmful effects of drug use.“What’s very important about this is the fact that the prohibited list is very comprehensive and is updated every year, and athletes have to constantly be aware of what they are putting in their bodies.”
