Country for PR: Japan
Contributor: Kyodo News JBN
Monday, October 07 2019 - 16:00
AsiaNet
Japanese Government with JADA Host WADA Executive Committee Meeting in Tokyo to Promote True Value of Sport
TOKYO, Oct. 7, 2019 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

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)