-Doping is a direct threat to the sports movement, but also to society as a whole. It is a challenge to our ethical standards and to our definition of right and wrong, said Prime Minister Mr Jens Stoltenberg at the closing of the international anti-doping conference in Oslo Thursday. He stated that governments, the sport movement and thousands of athletes have to pull together in the fight against doping.

Government officials from about 30 countries participated in the second meeting of the International Intergovernmental Consultative Group on Anti-Doping in Sport (IICGADS) hosted by Ms Ellen Horn, Norwegian Minister of Cultural Affairs, and co-chaired by Senator Ms Amanda Vanstone, Australian Minister for Justice and Customs, and Mr Norman Moyer, Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage.

The participants in The Oslo Declaration on anti-doping in sport reaffirmed their efforts in the fight against doping in sport in four key areas

- strategies for establishing comprehensive national anti-doping programs
- development of regional inter-governmental mechanisms to further anti-doping initiatives
- government support for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
- international harmonisation of government laws and regulations in the field of anti-doping

The conference recognized that WADA had made important steps forward and emerged as a strong partner in the fight against doping in sport. Participants agreed on 50 % government funding of WADA by 1 January 2002, subject to WADA putting in place the not-for-profit corporate, financial and administrative systems required of an international organisation by 30 March 2001. The systems include a strategic plan, a projected five year budget, accountable financial management systems and a good organisational structure.

A working group will develop options for the distribution of government contributions to the WADA’s annual costs based on the principle of ‘cost sharing’, taking into account each government’s economic capacity and a country’s level of involvement in international sporting competition.

The next IICGADS conference will be held in South Africa before June 2001.

The Oslo Declaration on Anti-Doping in Sport: http://odin.dep.no/kd/norsk/idrett/p10002093/018001-990116/

The sound track from the Prime Minister's speech and the Press Conference:
rtsp://195.134.41.37/wada/Antidop28-128day3.rm