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TOKYO, Oct. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the Japanese Government (MEXT) and the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) hosted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting on 23 September in Tokyo.

It was the first time that the Japanese government hosted the ExCo meeting while it represented Asia in the ExCo, to protecting and developing clean and true sport over 20 years since WADA’s foundation in 1999. In an opening address, Mr. HAGIUDA Koichi, the Minister for MEXT appreciated the ExCo members for their considerable commitment to the global anti-doping movement.

The Anti-Doping Promotion Act has been in place in Japan since 2018 to ensure the anti-doping programme, especially intelligence activities compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, remains effective. Mr. HAGIUDA restressed the importance of a further partnership with WADA and stakeholders to protect clean and fair sport.

About the WADA ExCo meeting: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/media/news/2019-09/wada-executive-committee-discusses-rusada-code-compliance

WADA and the Japanese government took this opportunity to renew their partnership declaration, which was originally agreed in 2015. It was extended this time to maintain Japan’s commitment to clean sport and to develop anti-doping capacity in Asia.

About the partnership declaration: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/media/news/2019-09/wada-and-japan-sign-agreement-to-continue-regional-anti-doping-organization

Developing global anti-doping capacity and ensuring the “clean sport partnership” are part of the main three pillars of the “Sport for Tomorrow” legacy project. The Japanese government and JADA are delivering this legacy project (https://www.sport4tomorrow.jp/).

Following the ExCo meeting, the Japan Sports Agency (JSA) and JADA hosted the “International Anti-Doping Seminar in Asia & Oceania” in partnership with WADA. Fifty people from 31 countries and regions participated in this seminar under the theme of “CREATE LEGACY TOGETHER: For Clean, Fair and True Sport with the 2021 Code.” JSA Commissioner, Dr. SUZUKI Daichi, Mr. Witold Banka, WADA President-elect, Ms. Yang Yang, WADA Vice President-elect, Ms. Danka Bartekova, an IOC Athletes Commission member, and Mr. FUJITA Masaki, Paralympian and member of the JADA Athlete Committee, discussed the importance of athletes’ voices in the decision-making process.

The panelists shared their views on the true value of sport. Commissioner SUZUKI said he sees such value in becoming the “real integrity champion.” He also thanked a wide range of people and organisations for creating legacy together through “i-PLAY TRUE Relay,” a legacy campaign to collect “TRUTH in Sport” messages that are relayed across the world and to the future (https://playtrue2020-sp4t.jp/iplaytrue/).

Working closely with WADA and Anti-Doping organisations as well as partners from both sport and non-sport organisations, JADA continues implementing and activating a variety of values-based education and activities. It is envisaged to contribute to the creation of a clean sport environment in the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond.

URL for photo gallery: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201910011631?p=images

 

SOURCE Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA)