Bahamas Anti-Doping Institutes to Revamp the Essence of Sports
Desmond Bannister, former minister for sports, Bahamas has underscored the importance of Anti-Doping in sports Act 2009. The minister was the main force behind driving anti-doping act through law and the system.
The major part of the life of Mr. Bannister has been spent in a great association with sports; he also had been holding the presidency of the Bahamas Association of Athletics Associations (BAAA) for several terms. Perhaps that is the reason that he has a
clear understanding of how a substantive anti-doping assault against cheating had become cemented in context with the world sports scenario.
Successive governments in Bahamas have been emphasizing upon the need to subscribe to the UNESCO convention. If we look over the world anti-doping code manual and particularly ponder upon its section 6 of article 22, we would come to know that the authorities
have been using good sense.
The article 22.6 states that failure of a government to ratify, accept, approve or accede to the UNESCO convention right from the very first day of 2010, or to comply with the UNESCO convention thereafter might prove to be a valid reason for the ineligibility
to bid for the events. Furthermore, it can cause to other consequences like forfeiture of offices and positions with world anti-doping agency, ineligibility of any of the candidate to organize any international event in the country, symbolic consequences and
other pursuant to the Olympic charter.
This perhaps states some serious business as each government would have to respect the arbitration as the preferred means for resolving doping-related issues. The world anti-doping code manual further says that all the governmental involvement with anti-doping
would be brought into harmony with the prescribed code.
Hence, the great significance of the Bahamas Anti Doping Commission which took its responsibilities back in April this year is automatically highlighted. The great volume of responsibilities which had been bestowed upon the board by not only the Bahamas
government, but by the mandate of WADA as well, the commission has responded rather quickly and has emerged as an important independent appointed body in the country.
Given with a relatively short period for start with the functioning stages, the timing of the appointment of Bahamas Anti Doping Commission has been very much under the gun.
Along with other responsibilities to be taken up with, there is the schedule for the national stadium which is to be completed by June 2011. The government of Bahamas is of the view that once completed, the stadium would not only promote sports at local
level, it would also play as a great marketing tool to bring and develop sports tourism in the country.
The national stadium would provide the foundational support to the Bahamas government to bid for major sports events. The government is also pondering upon advertising the features of the stadium abroad and to invite university and college students to observe
the facilities and see the Bahamas developing as a main land for sports training and competitions. The efforts at government’s part have raised the hopes that Bahamas might succeed in hosting the CARIFTA Track and Field Championships by the year 2011.
If the country succeeds in doing so, the event which is regarded as the most prestigious one within Caribbean athletics would most likely be organized in Freeport, Grand Bahamas where the new track of International Association of Athletics Federations would
be utilized for the purpose. Reportedly, all such events would be organized under the jurisdiction of BADC.
The authorities are of the view that this would begin a new era of sports in the country. WADA, amid its fair steps would continue to expand in its significance as the world body is well capable of patrolling sports and ensuring decency and fair play.
BADC has surfaced as a reliable national arm which has done a lot of work in a short span of time; however, it would further enhance its credibility if it would take the initiative to handle the broad scope of responsibilities to the satisfaction of WADA.
Tags: