WADA meets with Governments of Jordan and Lebanon to discuss ways of strengthening the global anti-doping system

Today, as part of an ongoing initiative to engage directly with various stakeholders around the world, senior leadership of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was pleased to meet with His Royal Highness Prince Feisal Al Hussein, President of the Jordan Olympic Committee; His Excellency Dr. Bisher Al Khasawneh, the Jordanian Prime Minister; and His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Al Nabulsi, the Jordanian Minister of Youth, to discuss matters related to clean sport in that country and throughout the West Asia region.

WADA President, Witold Bańka, and Director General, Olivier Niggli, first met with Prime Minister Al Khasawneh and Minister Al Nabulsi in the capital, Amman, and later sat down with the Prince at his nearby offices. Mr. Nasser Majali, Secretary General of Jordan Olympic Committee, and Professor Kamal Al Hadidi, President of Jordan Anti-Doping Organization and President of West Asia Anti-Doping Organization, also joined the meetings, which covered a broad range of topics, including how to build capacity and develop the regional anti-doping program, particularly in the areas of testing, education, scientific research, and athlete engagement.

Mr. Bańka said: “The role played by the Sport Movement and Governments of the world in anti-doping is extremely important. It is vital that WADA leadership meets with sports groups and Government representatives from different regions of the world to share perspectives and discuss how to further strengthen the global anti-doping system in order to protect athletes and safeguard the integrity of sports competition. I thank HRH Prince Feisal, Dr. Al Khasawneh and Dr. Al Nabulsi for their time and their support for our mission. We appreciate Jordan’s continued commitment to WADA, especially by leading the promotion of regional and international collaboration across a range of clean sport initiatives.”

In recent times, WADA leadership has made it a priority to meet with stakeholders from across the globe to lever capacity to protect clean sport worldwide, including: athletes, National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs), National Olympic Committees, sports ministers and other Government representatives responsible for anti-doping.

WADA Director General, Olivier Niggli, said: “As we have committed to do as part of WADA’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan, it is key that we engage and collaborate with all of our stakeholders to ensure that we are delivering on our mission for doping-free sport. Each country and each sport, no matter the size or number of athletes, is an important part of the global anti-doping system. It is essential that we speak regularly with them to exchange on their policies and provide assistance where and when needed. Ultimately, the anti-doping community must continue to collaborate and work together towards the same goal of providing fair competition for athletes all over the globe.”

This meeting forms part of a three-day visit to Jordan and Lebanon where the WADA President will deliver lectures to students of sports science at the University of Jordan, Amman, tomorrow and Saint Joseph’s University, Beirut, on Friday. Also on Friday, both Mr. Bańka and Mr. Niggli will address the ‘West Asia Anti-Doping Education Symposium’, which will be hosted in Beirut by the Lebanon Olympic Committee and West Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization.