GENERAL

Doping Authority Netherlands was actively involved in 2021 in the international doping policy. The international activities of Doping Authority Netherlands have several aims: Doping Authority Netherlands wishes to collect current knowledge, influence international anti-doping policy, promote Dutch anti-doping policy and strengthen international collaboration.
The COVID pandemic had a major impact again in the year under review on the implementation of international policy because international meetings were hardly possible at all any more. Teleconferencing provides only a partial solution to this problem, with one of the factors being that the sharing of confidential information on digital media is problematic.

NADO Leaders

In September, a group of NADO Leaders met in Paris to discuss, among other things, the progress of WADA’s reform process and to prepare a new statement. This work will continue in 2022.

WADA

Education Standing Committee

Effective 1 January, the Head of Education joined WADA’s Education Standing Committee as a member. His appointment is for three years. The Education Standing Committee met twice online in 2021 (April and September). In a subgroup, the Head of Education worked on the development of an education module for support staff. Education modules of Doping Authority Netherlands for trainer-coaches and parents were brought in as examples.

Working group on the development of training programmes

Doping Authority Netherlands acts in a chair capacity on one of WADA’s working groups on the development of training programmes (Global Learning & Development Framework). The training programmes are for people working in the field of anti-doping. The work began in October 2020 and was completed in 2022. The working group has monthly video meetings. Furthermore, the Head of Education has completed a ‘Train the Trainer’ course organised by WADA. The purpose of the course was to prepare the participants to conduct training programmes. The course consisted of 6 online meetings.

Prohibited list

Like every year, a response to the draft version of the prohibited list was sent to WADA in the summer. Doping Authority Netherlands coordinates the Dutch response on behalf of the NOC*NSF, the NOC*NSF Athletes Committee and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.

WADA Prevalence of Doping Working Group

At the request of WADA, we have a seat on the Prevalence of Doping Working Group. The general aim is to establish a more detailed picture of the knowledge currently available about the prevalence of doping and how this knowledge can best be increased in the future. In 2021, some pilot studies were conducted and work continued on a range of scientific publications on the subject.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Doping Authority Netherlands was an active participant in 2021 in the international doping policy. The international activities of Doping Authority Netherlands address two goals: Doping Authority Netherlands wants to collect up-to-date current knowledge and to influence the international anti-doping policy.

The pandemic meant that there were fewer meetings than usual. We attended four meetings of the CAHAMA (Ad hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency). The CAHAMA mission is:

  1. to examine the issues concerning relations between the Council of Europe, its Member States and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and to decide on a common position, when possible, on these issues;
  2. to draw up, if necessary, opinions for the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on these issues, including the budgetary elements;
  3. to periodically revise the mandate of members of the WADA Foundation Board appointed by the Council of Europe.

Advisory Groups

In the context of the ‘Advisory Group on Education – Working Group’ of the Council of Europe, Doping Authority Netherlands attended six online meetings in 2021.

It also attended a meeting of the ‘Expert Group on Science’ of the Council of Europe on 23-24 January (Dresden, Germany), and a webinar meeting of the same group on 8 June.

Institute for National Anti-Doping Organizations (iNADO)

The iNADO key objectives are: to support and strengthen the work of national anti-doping organisations, and to represent their members in the international domain.

Doping Authority Netherlands is an active member of iNADO. Doping Authority Netherlands also participated in (and contributed to) a range of iNADO activities that went ahead despite the impact that the corona pandemic also had on iNADO’s work.

DUTCH CARIBBEAN

Doping Authority Netherlands is developing educational materials for the Dutch Caribbean. Work is proceeding on printed material, e-learning and videos. The printed material was completed in 2021.