PSC hosts Anti-Doping Summit

MANILA - Kiefer Ravena, Mikee Cojuangco and a number of national sports associations, government and local government unit officials attended the Philippine Sports Commission’s 2018 National Anti-Doping Summit held yesterday with Southeast Asian Regional Anti-Doping Organization Director General Gobinathan Nair leading a formidable line-up of speakers.

Aside from Nair and Cojuangco, PSC-Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization Head Dr. Alejandro and Atty Antonio Rebosa, MD, delivered their own lectures. Undersecretary Karen Jimeno, representing Special Presidential Assistant Bong Go, also gave a short speech.

Some 100 participants from NSAs, universities, colleges, LGUs and coaches attended the first day of the three-day scheduled activity on Anti-Doping in Sports at the Philippine International Convention Center here.

“The end goal really is to have a doping-free sporting community,” said Pineda who together with the Philippine Sports Institute Director Marc Edward Velasco, led the organizing of the twin-event.

Velasco, echoing the sentiments of PSC Chairman William Ramirez, said that as the government agency for sports, the PSC takes lead in reaching out to the public with regards to anti-doping. “Education is key,” he said, explaining the objectives of the event.

Ravena, who came in as a participant and one of the athletes who recently had an incident due to inadvertent use of substance that is in the restricted list, encouraged athletes to take interest in anti-doping.

International Olympic Committee member Cojuangco, who is with the Education Committee of the IOC, underscored the importance of educating the public about anti-doping reinforcing the “play true, play fair, play clean” campaign of the World Anti-Doping Agency.