Speech at WADA Foundation Board in Glasgow

Dear fellow members of the WADA Foundation Board

First of all I would like to thank you all.

I am very grateful to the Foundation Board Members for the trust they have placed in me.

I am deeply committed to further advancing the global fight against doping in sport in the years to come.

Being a Minister responsible for sport, carries responsibility.

The importance of sport for our society lies largely in the positive values sport is based on.

Doping threatens these basic values and undermines the integrity and reputation of sport.

With the best interests of clean athletes at heart, I am strongly committed to further advance the global fight against doping in sport.

This is my motivation for taking up the position of Vice President of WADA.

Since 1999, the international fight against doping has made significant strides under WADA’s guidance and coordination. 

However, during the last year we have witnessed a number of serious doping revelations and violations in international sport.

These disturbing events have put the credibility of the existing anti-doping system into question.

I believe that the fight against doping worldwide is at a crossroad. Therefore we need to make some bold choices. 

First of all:

1) We need to restore confidence in the integrity of anti-doping decisions in international sport.

This is a shared responsibility between governments and the sports movement.

Secondly:

2) We need to strengthen the ability of WADA to respond to current and emerging challenges in the anti-doping field.

It is of crucial importance that we safeguard the independent role of WADA as the global regulator responsible for standard-setting and monitoring.

WADA´s capabilities should be strengthened. This includes:

• Adoption of clear sanctions for large-scale subversions of the anti-doping system
• Authority and capacity to investigate and to monitor Code compliance 
• Authority and capacity to impose proportional sanctions for non-compliance

Thirdly:

3) We need to reinforce our efforts to strengthen the protection of the clean athletes. A robust whistleblower policy, ensuring better protection for whistleblowers is of utmost importance.

And finally:

4) We need to reinforce our efforts in order to restore confidence in the international anti-doping system.

The worldwide fight against doping should be based on the principles of good governance.

Conflict of interest should be avoided.

It also includes transparency, accountability and the protection of the fundamental rights of athletes.

More than ever, we need a strong and independent WADA.

I look forward to contribute to WADA’s mission in the fight for the clean athletes and for a level playing field for all and for the integrity of sport.

Thank you.