RADOs key to African anti-doping progress

Significant progress has been made in African anti-doping over the last five years thanks to the efforts of the WADA Regional Office in Cape Town.

Crucial to this development have been Regional Anti-Doping Organizations (RADOs) that were set up to manage the anti-doping requirements on an area-specific basis.

The first of six RADOs was established in 2005, and there are now offices in Tunisia, Niger, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique and Seychelles to look after the interests of 45 countries in Africa and the Indian Ocean region.

Crucial to their role has been the creation of in-competition and out-of-competition testing through a network of doping control officers, processes for results management and Therapeutic Use Exemptions, and anti-doping education programs.

In addition, the RADOs have assisted event organizers with their testing and education programs, including the 2008 Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone VI Youth Games, as well the 2011 Indian Ocean Games in Seychelles.

They also assisted the WADA Outreach team at the 2011 All Africa Games in Mozambique.

Of great benefit to the Africa RADOs has been partnerships with La Conférence des Ministres de la Jeunesse et des Sports des États et gouvernements ayant le français en partage (CONFEJES), and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Funds provided by these organizations have assisted the RADOs in furthering the fight against doping in sport in their member countries.