Anti-Doping Conference Provides Areas of Focus for Reform

The recent PCC Conference, hosted in London in partnership with King’s College Forensics Department (and the WADA-Accredited Drug Control Center) spurred notable conversation, knowledge sharing by experts, and a host of new partnerships between delegates.

The takeaways were numerous: the anti-doping movement needs more collaboration, simplified policies, and to reduce harmful politics while increasing fruitful conversations able to produce actionable solutions.

After careful discussion and interpretation of the information put forth by our 65+ expert speakers, interactions with colleagues, and feedback provided by attendees, the PCC determined three areas we believe summarize critical focus areas for anti-doping stakeholders who want to improve the way they fight for clean athletes and clean sport:

Inclusivity – Athletes and other historically disenfranchised voices need to be brought into discussions as a rule, not an exception.

Clarity – Ensuring clear, mission-focused policies that can be easily communicated and understood by athletes and implementers.

Transparency – Discussing advances and challenges candidly, and increasing communications between WADA signatories and non-signatories (such as professional leagues) to encourage idea-sharing.

The above list is far from exhaustive, and we hope each delegate left #PCC2019 with a better sense of where they and their organization fit in the anti-doping movement, as well as tactical strategies they can implement to contribute to a more efficient and effective anti-doping system.

Such strategies could be as simple as including a new stakeholder voice in policy discussion, or as complex as re-shaping athlete attitudes towards doping. Each delegate and organization will have a unique contribution based upon their mission, resources, and role within the greater anti-doping ecosystem.

The PCC pledges to address the above focus areas deliberately, and in accordance with our mission, to deter and detect doping through supporting high quality scientific research, and are excited to unveil some of our biggest ideas in the coming months. We’d love to hear how your organization is doing the same.

If you believe our agencies would be more effective working together, we’d love to chat. Start the conversation by emailing Jenna Celmer at jcelmer@cleancompetition.org.