WADA and World Rowing promote clean rowing at 2017 World Rowing Championships

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Rowing Federation (FISA) are working together to promote clean sport by delivering the latest instalment of WADA’s Legacy Outreach program (Legacy Outreach) at the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton, United States, from 23 September to 1 October 2017.

FISA Athletes Commission Chair, Lenka Dienstbach-Wech spearheaded the initiative and encouraged her fellow Commission members to help lead this clean sport program for rowing.

“WADA is pleased to partner with World Rowing in our latest edition of Legacy Outreach,” says WADA Director General, Olivier Niggli. “Athlete engagement is a top priority for WADA and therefore, it is encouraging to see so many athlete representatives promoting clean sport as a top priority for them as well,” Niggli continued. “We believe that this Legacy Outreach initiative is beneficial for FISA and will provide them with the tools and materials they will need to run their own successful outreach programs in the future.”

“The FISA Athlete Commission is happy to join this Legacy Outreach project in partnership with WADA,” says Dienstbach-Wech. “We want to highlight to our clean athletes that there is no place for doping in our sport,” she continued. “Rowing and our athletes stand for sportsmanship, fair play and respect; and, with this program, we would like to show the world our values.”

At this year’s World Rowing Championships, the Legacy Outreach Program will be showcased in a bid to raise awareness and promote clean sport to a generation of athletes. Using the hashtag #iRowClean, there will be an interactive information booth and pledge to clean sport at the venue where athletes, coaches and other team officials can visit.

Olympic rowing silver medallist and member of WADA’s Athlete Committee, Andréanne Morin, is also joining the program. “As a retired athlete, I am happy to give my time to join this powerful initiative to promote clean rowing and to engage a current generation of rowing athletes around why they ‘choose to play true’,” she continued. “By giving back to a sport that has given me so much, I hope I can play my part in sharing what I know and empowering others to understand their rights and responsibilities.”

The aim of WADA’s Legacy Outreach program is to support key stakeholders in developing and delivering sustainable anti-doping awareness programs in order to promote clean sport. WADA’s role is to lead from behind by developing and tailoring each awareness campaign to the stakeholders' needs and supporting them with the initial delivery.

For more information:

Maggie Durand, Coordinator, Media Relations and Communications
Phone: + 1-514-904-8225
E-mail: media@wada-ama.org