Olympic athletes propose anti-doping charter of rights

MONTREAL Beckie Scott is hoping that an athletes anti-doping charter of rights will help prevent the kind of infractions that nearly cost her a cross country skiing gold medal at the 2002 Olympics.

The Vegreville, Alta., native and chair of the World Anti-Doping agency athletes committee outlined plans for a charter at the group’s Foundation Board meeting on Thursday.

She said the idea for a charter, which she hopes will be ready next year, came from the widespread outrage from athletes over the doping scandal that surfaced in 2015 over statesponsored doping in Russia.

“We wanted to answer the calls from these athletes with something meaningful,” Scott said. “To give you something concrete to reference and to help you feel empowered, and maybe give you some power, in terms of your rights.

“There isn’t actually a document out there right now that outlines athletes’ rights in terms of clean, fair sport.”

The final content will be determined by consultations with athletes, lawyers and other experts to create “a concrete and hopefully legally defensible document that athletes can reference.”

Scott finished third in the five-kilometre pursuit event at the Salt Lake City Games, but eventually was promoted to gold when the two skiers ahead of her tested positive for banned substances.

She hopes a charter will give athletes more say in ensuring that only clean athletes can compete and win.

The idea arose at an athletes committee meeting earlier this year in Lausanne, Switzerland. One of its backers is Johann Koss, the Norwegian speedskating champion behind the Right To Play movement who is also involved in Fair Sport, which champions drug-free competition.

The highlight of the board meeting was a report showing Russia was taking steps to fix its doping control system.

A report from Rob Koehler, head of the agency’s Compliance Review Committee, said Russia has agreed to a list of conditions for reinstatement of its suspended national anti-doping agency. They include ensuring that anti-doping officials are independent of outside influence, addressing conflict of interest concerns and that cities previously barred from visitors be opened up to doping testers.