On 20^th September 2016, the World Anti-Doping Agency held the first in a series of multi-stakeholder Think Tanks in Lausanne (SUI). Under the theme “Addressing challenges to the current anti-doping system”, participants, including FIS President Gian Franco Kasper, exchanged in a collaborative fashion and agreed that WADA must be appropriately empowered to build on its successes. Participants reached consensus on the need for:

1. Centralised World Anti-Doping Code compliance monitoring by WADA with proportionate and graded sanctioning powers. This would include more funding to ensure that regular auditing is being conducted and that the Agency is able to impose fines on non-compliant organisations.
2. Enhanced WADA Investigations with increased funding and further cooperation with law enforcement and Government authorities.
3. A comprehensive whistle-blower policy and program that provides greater assurance to those that come forward with valuable information.
4. An improved Doping Control Process by Anti-Doping Organisations worldwide, which would include increased training for Doping Control Officers with mandatory audits.
5. A more rigorous WADA-accredited laboratory monitoring process and stronger requirements for the autonomy of laboratories.
6. Agreement by the Sports Movement and Governments that WADA is the regulatory body, which governs all anti-doping activities; and, that the Agency requires increased contributions to support its enlarged scope.
7. Governments to embrace the legislative commitment through the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport.
8. Further discussion aimed at strengthening WADA’s governance model.

In addition to WADA Executive Committee members and the management team, the Think Tank brought together athletes, independent experts, representatives from the IOC, IPC, ASOIF, AIOWF, the Council of Europe, the National Anti-Doping Agencies of Japan, Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom; the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations; WADA-accredited laboratories; and, private sample collection service providers.

Source: fis-ski.com