Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Stofile elected to top position at doping body
FORMER sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile was yesterday elected vice-president of World Anti-Doping Code (Wada) for two years, from next year to 2016.
Stofile, who previously served on the Wada executive committee and foundation board during his term as sports minister, will serve under incoming president Craig Reedie. The duo will replace outgoing president John Fahey of Australia and his deputy Arne Ljungqvist of Sweden.
Reedie, the International Olympic Committee ( IOC) deputy president, was nominated by the IOC and served on London’s 2012 Olympics organising committee.
Wada’s foundation board, which comprises representatives from the Olympic movement and from governments, appoints the president and vice-president from within or from outside its structure.
The board has 36 members, as well as the president and vice-president.
Earlier yesterday delegates at a conference in Johannes- burg adopted a more stringent doping code to come into effect on January 1, 2015.
Doping bans will be doubled from a two-year period to four years, effectively making an athlete ineligible for one Olympic Games cycle.
“I hope and believe this conference will have an impact and a different meaning to everyone around the globe when it comes to this fight against cheaters and doping in sport,” Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said at the closing of the conference.
“The code we’ve adopted will be a code that will usher in a new meaning, and will accelerate the fight against doping in sport.
“Here in Johannesburg, we renew ourselves against the fight against doping, and we warn the cheaters and say ‘you will never be tolerated’.”
Mbalula reiterated that South Africa and Africa were ready to host the Olympics.
“This is the time, Ke Nako, we are ready to make it happen for the Africa continent.” – Sapa