JADCO’s partnership with UNESCO
THE UNITED Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has played a pivotal role in the success of the Jamaica AntiDoping Commission (JADCO) since its establishment in 2008.
To date, they have funded four projects that aided tremendously in the growth and development of the commission. These include: n Play True, Say No To Doping n Preserving the Spirit of Sport n Sample Collection Officers Training n Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission/ UNESCO/National Parent Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) AntiDoping Education Parenting Workshops. PLAY TRUE, SAY NO TO DOPING
The ‘Play True, Say No To Doping’ project commenced in 2008 and was implemented to plan, implement and monitor an educational programme for junior athletes.
This focused on: n The health consequences of doping. n Substances and methods on the
prohibited list. n Doping-control procedures. n Athletes’ rights and responsibilities. The goal of the project was to promote the spirit of sport by establishing an anti-doping environment that would ultimately lead to positive behavioural change among junior athletes. More than 2,300 persons benefited from the workshops and several thousand from the outreach activities. A wide range of educational booklets and brochures were produced and a music video and public service announcements was created. These educational materials are still being used in our workshops.
PRESERVING THE SPIRIT OF SPORT
In 2011, JADCO collaborated with UNESCO to promote fair play in sports while developing a sporting culture where athletes’ performance can be dependent on: n Talent n Determination n Courage and honesty.
A series of workshops was conducted across the island which brought the antidoping message to junior athletes and their support personnel who previously had difficulty accessing the information electronically. The project covered four main areas:
n Whereabouts information and the AntiDoping Administration and Management System Database n The prohibited list n Results management
The doping-control process.
More than 600 participants benefited from the training. From this, approximately 50 senior-level participants were trained as trainers to disseminate anti-doping information in their communities.
SAMPLE COLLECTION OFFICERS TRAINING
During 2014, the Athlete Biological Passport Management System was introduced. This system allows JADCO to monitor the sample given by the athlete over time for changes in their biological parameters, which would provide material for further investigation.
In 2015, blood sample collection was included in the doping-control process. JADCO partnered with UNESCO to implement the Sample Collection Personnel Training. As a result, 51 chaperones, 18 doping-control officers and 10 bloodcollection officers were trained by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport in the area of urine and blood testing. JADCO/UNESCO/NPTAJ ANTI-DOPING EDUCATION PARENTING WORKSHOP In 2017, JADCO partnered with UNESCO and the NPTAJ to implement the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission/NPTAJ AntiDoping Education Parenting Workshops. The workshops were held under the theme ‘Preventing Doping: Parents Reach One, Teach One’. Workshops were conducted in the parishes of Kingston, Manchester and Trelawny.
During the period April to June 2017, values-based brochures were distributed and continue to be distributed at JADCO’s outreach activities. The project also included the creation of a values-based animation feature.
For continuity, JADCO will be making presentations at parent-teacher association meetings in secondary schools to provide parents with information on anti-doping.
JADCO expresses sincere gratitude to UNESCO for their continued support.