Releases

WADA Independent Observer and Athlete Outreach Programs at Rio Games

WADA is pleased to announce its planned presence at the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August and September this year.  

The Agency will have Independent Observer (IO) Missions to monitor the various phases of doping control and results management processes at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Expert teams – led by Jonathan Taylor and Marlene Klein for the Olympic and Paralympic Games respectively – will observe the programs, and provide real-time feedback to the International Olympic and the International Paralympic Committees, and the Local Organizers who will be conducting the anti-doping programs. This audit-style approach will ensure immediate progress can be made, and will provide athletes and the public further confidence in the anti-doping system.

WADA’s Athlete Outreach Program will have an active, accessible and visible presence at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Anti-doping experts will staff Outreach Centers at the Athlete Villages. These Centers will allow athletes and their support personnel to understand more about the dangers and consequences of doping, and create awareness of an athlete’s rights and responsibilities.

The teams set to be in Rio de Janeiro are listed below.

Independent Observer Team – 2016 Olympic Games

  1. Jonathan TAYLOR (Chair), International Sports Lawyer - UK
  2. Tim RICKETTS (Vice Chair), Director, Standards and Harmonization, WADA (Australia)
  3. Osquel BARROSO, Deputy Director, Science, WADA (Cuba/Italy)
    Thierry BOGHOSIAN, Senior Manager, Laboratory Accreditation, WADA (USA/Canada)
  4. Christine CARDIS, Anti-Doping Administrator, International Skating Union (Switzerland)
  5. Sarah FUSSEK, Anti-Doping Coordinator, International Ski Federation (Austria)
  6. Kevin HAYNES (Manager), Senior Manager, Standards and  Harmonization, WADA (UK)
  7. Stuart, KEMP, Deputy Director, Standards and Harmonization, WADA (Canada)
  8. Jakob MØRKEBERG, Scientific Consultant, Anti-Doping Denmark (Denmark)
  9. Orlando REYES, Manager, National Anti-Doping Program, Coldeportes (Colombia)
  10. Beckie SCOTT, Chair, WADA Athlete Committee (Canada)

Independent Observer Team – 2016 Paralympic Games

  1. Michael PETROU (Chair), President of the Cyprus Anti-Doping Authority (Cyprus)
  2. George TSAMIS (Vice Chair), Manager, Standards and Harmonization, WADA (Greece)
  3. Ying CUI (Manager), Manager, Standards and Harmonization, WADA (China)
  4. Ben RUTHERFORD,  Senior Legal Counsel and Integrity Unit Manager, World Rugby (Australia)
  5. Pablo SQUELLA, Director, National Anti-Doping Agency, Chile (Chile)

Athlete Outreach Team – 2016 Olympic Games

  1. Stacy SPLETZER-JEGEN (Manager), Senior Manager, Athlete Relations and Communications, WADA (USA)
  2. Edna SERRA (Assistant Manager), Coordinator, WADA Latin America Regional Office (Uruguay)
  3. Jaeyoon LIM, Manager, Education and Customer Satisfaction Management, Korea Anti-Doping Agency (Rep. Korea)
  4. Alesia LYTSINA, Head of Prevention, Education and Intl Cooperation, National Anti-Doping Agency of Belarus (Belarus)
  5. Juan Carlos MIRANDA, Education Unit Manager,  National Anti-Doping Agency, Chile (Chile)
  6. Stephen MUDAWARIMA, Education Officer, Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (Zimbabwe)
  7. Julie VALLON, Manager, Athlete Services, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (Canada)
  8. Josh WILLIAMS, Administrator, Anti-Doping Unit, International Handball Federation (UK)
  9. Lauryn WILLIAMS, Member, WADA Athlete Committee (USA)

Athlete Outreach Team – 2016 Paralympic Games

  1. Edna SERRA (Manager), Coordinator, WADA Latin America Regional Office (Uruguay)
  2. Jose Villegas, Manager, Finance, WADA (Venezuela/Canada)
  3. Essan Emile N’GORAN, Doping Control Officer (Cote d’Ivoire)
  4. Keiko UCHITANI, Senior Manager, Education and Information Group, Japan Anti-Doping Agency (Japan)