Azerbaijan to establish National Anti-Doping Agency

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Anti-Doping Agency will be established in Azerbaijan with a view to reveal cases of doping use by national athletes.

Youth and Sport Minister Azad Rahimov announced about this during the discussion of a draft bill “Fight against the use of doping agents or methods in sport” at the meeting of the Parliamentary Youth and Sports Committee on October 24.

Rahimov said that, currently a similar structure is operating under the Ministry, but it is not recognized by the international anti-doping organizations.

The minister added that the Agency will be created in accordance with the requirements of international sports organizations.

“The new structure will be recognized by the international sports organizations and anti-doping agencies, and will work closely with them,” he said.

The minister emphasized that taking into account the international community's fight against doping in sport, Azerbaijan has undertaken certain obligations in this area and strengthens the anti-doping fight.

“The bill should be perfect and allow timely detection of the use of doping. Therefore it’s necessary to prepare serious methods of fighting against doping,” he said.

Rahimov added that the new law should reflect a few basic questions. “Firstly, the law must meet international standards, and an independent National Anti-Doping Agency should be created. It is necessary to prevent manipulation in sport and pressure on the athletes.  Technical base for the timely detection of doping should also be created. An athlete undergoes 700-800 doping tests per year on average,” Rahimov clarified, noting the necessity to organize an effective fight against doping.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee, MP Fuad Muradov, in turn, said that anti-doping measures have been toughened worldwide.

“International Anti-Doping Organization has imposed a ban on the use of more than 7,000 medications. Athletes, who use these drugs, are banned from participating in competitions. If this fact is repeated three times, then the organization imposes a ban on the participation of an athlete in international competitions. This is an important condition for each country,” he said.

Indeed, Azerbaijan complies with these conditions, the MP said, mentioning that the national athletes undergo drug test in the Anti-Doping Commission of the Ministry.

The chairman of the Parliamentary Committee noted that the bill will be presented to the Parliament for its first reading.

Muradov further said that the country will toughen punishment for material and other means, benefits and concessions offered to athlete, sports doctor, coach, sponsor or another person with the purpose of manipulation in sports.

“Those people will be fined in the amount of 3,000-5,000 manats ($1,845-$3,075) or imprisoned for a term of three to six years,” the MP noted.

Muradov said, according to the bill, for the use of force, blackmail, dissemination of defamatory information, in respect of athlete, sports doctor, coach, sponsor, or their close relatives are punishable by imprisonment for up to three years. If these are accompanied by violence that threats life or health, those people will be punished by imprisonment for a term of three to six years.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which was established in 1999 is an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world.

Main objective of the agency is to provide doping-free sporting environment. The WADA imposes sanctions against athletes failing to pass the doping test.

UNESCO is also a partner of the WADA, and works primarily with governments, NGOs and experts in order to promote physical education and sport. The UNESCO anti-doping programmes aimed at preserving the very essence of sport characterized by such values as honesty, fairness, respect, courage, loyalty and solidarity.