SYDNEY COMMUNIQUÉ 
 

Government ministers and other authorised government officials responsible for anti-doping within their national jurisdictions came together at an international drugs in sport summit organised by the Government of Australia. The summit was hosted by the Hon Jackie Kelly MP, Minister for Sport and Tourism and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Sydney 2000 Games and chaired by the Australian Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator the Hon Amanda Vanstone. 

Government Roles And Responsibilities In The Fight Against Doping 

Participants at the summit: 

1. Affirmed their belief that ethical sport plays a vital role in the well-being of their societies and, consequently, their conviction of the need for strong government leadership and action in the fight against doping in sport.

2. Confirmed that the role of governments in the fight against doping at the national level is to work with relevant sporting organisations to establish comprehensive national anti-doping programs based on the principles of independence, transparency, integrity, accountability and sound science, derived from an anti-doping policy that promotes public health among young sportsmen and sportswomen and the value of, and ethical basis for, doping free sport and respect for athletes' rights.

3. Confirmed governments' individual and collective commitment to take action within all relevant areas of governmental responsibility to eradicate doping in sport through the development of effective national anti-doping laws and policies, the establishment and conduct of national drug testing programs, support for research on prevention and detection methods, provision of anti-doping education and information services, and reducing the flow of prohibited substances.

4. Acknowledged governments also have a responsibility to contribute to the effectiveness of the international fight against doping in sport by working cooperatively with other governments, international sports organisations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to develop effective approaches for combating doping in sport.

5. Affirmed their commitment to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and its development towards an independent, transparent and accountable agency that has broad support and respect among governments, inter-governmental organisations, as well as international and national sporting organisations, in particular athletes, and acknowledged the significant work of the IOC and several inter-governmental bodies in its establishment.

6. Noted that the governments represented at the summit have adopted a variety of approaches to, and have different capacities for, fulfilling their dual responsibilities to sports development and the fight against doping.

7. Thanked the Australian Government for their leadership in convening the summit.  
    
   

1. Policy Commitment 

Recognising the need to adopt a strong and definitive position on anti-doping, and in cooperation with relevant national sporting organisations, participants agreed: 

1. To develop national anti-doping policy frameworks that promote the ethics of doping free sport and respect for athletes' rights and education of athletes and young people. 
   

1.2 Governments, the Olympic movement and sporting organisations must be involved and work together to develop and implement anti-doping policies. 

1.3 The principles of fairness, ethics and equity should underpin anti-doping policies (e.g., the protection of athletes' rights).  

1.4 Policies should comprehensively address all elements of anti-doping programs, including drug testing, education, national and international consistency, collaboration, research, sanctions and appeals. 

1.5 To increase deterrence, there should be a system of internationally applicable and equivalent sanctions across all sports, such as a two-year minimum ban for first-time offenders.  

1.6 Policies should include an independent system for prior approval to use substances from a predetermined list when there are genuine therapeutic reasons, no therapeutic alternatives, subject to appropriate competency based approval, accountability and verification procedures, to protect the system from abuse. 

1.7 When hosting major sporting events, governments should adopt criteria that require promoters and organisers to ensure effective anti-doping programs are in place for those events. 

1.8 Where appropriate, governments should provide legislative backing for anti-doping policies and programs. 

2. Drug Testing 

Recognising that high quality drug testing programs are an essential feature of a comprehensive national approach to anti-doping, participants agreed that: 

2.1 Governments should work with their national sporting organisations to establish high-quality drug testing programs. 

2.2 Governments should fund or otherwise enable high quality national drug testing programs in whole or in conjunction with national sporting organisations. 

2.3 The elements of a high quality drug testing program include: 

       2.3.1 Year round, no notice, out-of-competition testing. 

2.3.2 The strategic application of drug testing resources so as to most efficiently and effectively maximise the deterrent effect. 

2.3.3 Protection of athletes' rights throughout the sample collection, analysis and result management, and appeals and arbitration. 

Recognising the importance of establishing high quality drug testing programs that are based on the principles of world's best practice, participants agreed that: 

2.4 Drug testing should be conducted in accordance with internationally accepted procedural standards, specifically the International Standard for Doping Control (ISO PAS 18873). 

2.5 Sports drug testing laboratories should be accredited by an independent agency.  

2.6 Accreditation standards should assess laboratories on the basis of their scientific capability, quality management and ethical standards.  
 

3. International Collaboration 

Participants recognised that international collaboration between government, the Olympic movement and sport is an essential component of progressing the fight against doping in sport. Participants agreed that: 

3.1 International collaboration can be built by the use of existing or the establishment of bilateral and multilateral anti-doping agreements between and among countries through which they can harmonise anti-doping policies and promote cooperation on research, drug testing, education, sanctions and adjudication. To this end, they would encourage states from all regions to accede to the Anti-Doping Convention (ETS No. 135, Strasbourg, 16 November 1989) and use the Convention as a tool for coordinating their national anti-doping policies. 

3.2 Participants expressed their support for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The WADA can provide international leadership and coordination for a range of anti-doping activities. For the WADA to operate effectively it needs to involve athletes, all sports and governments from all regions.  

3.3 It is essential that the WADA undertake its functions always having regard to the principles of independence, accountability, transparency and expertise in its actions. 

3.4 The functions of the WADA should be to: 

       3.4.1 promote and coordinate the fight against doping; 

       3.4.2 reinforce the ethical basis for anti-doping and protect the health of athletes; 

       3.4.3 establish and maintain a list of prohibited substances; 

       3.4.4 coordinate no notice, out of competition testing; 

       3.4.5 develop analytical standards; 

       3.4.6 promote harmonised sanctions; 

       3.4.7 develop education programs; and 

       3.4.8 promote and coordinate peer reviewed research. 

3.5 Particular attention should be paid to address concerns regarding the WADA's regional, gender and athlete representation, and governance. 

3.6 Pursuant to the Canadian Proposal to the summit, it was agreed to establish an interim International Inter-governmental Consultative Group on Anti-Doping as described in Appendix 1. 

3.7 It was further agreed that the Consultative Group would undertake its function taking into account the issues raised in the Summit Declaration on the World Anti-Doping Agency in Appendix 2. 
 

4. Research 

Acknowledging the importance of analytical, sociological, psychological and ethics research to the credibility of an effective anti-doping strategy and the development of appropriate drug deterrence models, participants agreed that: 

4.1 Priority must be given to peer reviewed analytical research which focuses on the improved detection of prohibited substances and hitherto undetectable substances, such as EPO, human growth hormone, and the development of physiological profiles. 

4.2 Research endeavours must include sociological and behavioural research to better inform drug testing and education programs. 

4.3 The application of soundly based scientific disciplines by qualified experts must be applied to all research endeavours. 

4.4 Governments should encourage the sharing of information about research projects and explore the potential for establishing an international registry to achieve this objective. 

4.5 There is a need to coordinate and collaborate on research projects to ensure that there is more efficient use of resources. 

4.6 Governments provide funding to support research and seek contributions from other sources, including the international federations and the private sector.  
 

5. Education 

Recognising the importance of implementing high quality, anti-doping education programs in order to inform athletes and deter them from doping, participants agreed on the need to: 

5.1 Increase awareness of government anti-doping policy among key stakeholders. 

5.2 Ensure information about government and sport anti-doping policies (e.g., prohibited substances, drug testing procedures, sanctions and ethics in sport), drug testing programs and athletes' rights is made available to athletes, coaches, team doctors, officials and others, in particular young people, in a variety of delivery modes to raise awareness and enable informed decision making regarding drug use. 

5.3 Develop long term, preventative education programs which are based on sociological research findings and are targeted at all levels of sport. These programs should include ethical aspects, as well as the consequences of doping in sport. 
 

6. Reducing the flow of illicit drugs 

Participants acknowledged the importance of regulating the supply and illicit diversion of performance enhancing drugs, while recognising that government controls should not unduly constrain the legitimate use and trade in these products. 

Participants agreed to recommend to their governments that they should review the adequacy of legislation controlling the supply of human and veterinary products with the object of tightening controls on illicit supply and harmonising international practice. This could include a review of:  

6.1 Prescription and supply controls on these products. 

6.2 Regulation and labelling of food supplements. 

6.3 Border controls, with a view to making anabolic steroids and peptide hormones restricted imports. 

6.4 Appropriate penalties for trafficking and diversion and related offences. 

Participants agreed that effective action requires: 

6.5 An appropriate level of resources allocated by governments. 

6.6 Cooperative arrangements between sports agencies, customs and law enforcement agencies, and relevant regulatory authorities.  

6.7 Arrangements for cooperation and information exchange at an international level between regulatory and enforcement agencies.  
 

Sydney, Australia

17 November 1999 

Participants: 

In the presence of representatives from the Council of Europe, the International Olympic Committee and other members of the Olympic Movement, the Commonwealth Games Federation, and the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. 
 
 
 

Appendix 1

CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON ANTI-DOPING

Pursuant to the Canadian proposal to the international drugs in sport summit held in Sydney, 14-17 November, 1999, it was agreed to establish an international inter-governmental consultative group on anti-doping. 

The consultative group will be an inclusive group of nations representing all continental regions (a particular sensitivity will be shown to nations who were not present at the Sydney summit or who are not represented in other inter-governmental arrangements).  

It is an interim mechanism which will be co-chaired initially by Canada and Australia. 

The consultative group will provide a process to encourage the regional development of sustained inter-governmental associations or arrangements specific to the anti-doping issue. 

Canada is prepared to host the first meeting of the consultative group. 

This decision recognises that the foundation of enhanced international cooperation in the battle against doping is the presence of high-quality domestic anti-doping programs. It welcomes the development of the world anti-doping agency (WADA) and seeks to enhance the effective and sustained interaction of governments with the new world agency. 

The initial responsibilities of the consultative group are: 

• to carry forward and coordinate action on the outcomes of the Sydney summit, building on the momentum generated during the summit

• to resolve, as soon as possible, the process(es) for coordinated world-wide governmental participation in WADA, recognising that certain governments have already developed a process for participation in WADA based on their membership in other pre-existing inter-governmental arrangements. A longer-term objective may be to encourage and facilitate, on a regional basis, ongoing governmental participation in the activities of WADA

• to initiate a process to facilitate the harmonisation of policies in other areas of exclusive government jurisdiction or responsibility (i.e., customs regulations and policies, importation regulations, labeling of medications and supplements, harmonisation of legislation, treaties and other forms of inter-governmental agreement)

• to explore the need for, and develop the framework of, follow up inter-governmental conferences, and

• to encourage nations to develop high-quality national anti-doping policies and programs through the adoption of the IADA International Standard for Doping Control. 
   
   
  

Sydney, Australia

17 November 1999 
 
 

Appendix 2

SUMMIT declaration ON THE

WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY 

Participants at the international drugs in sport summit held in Sydney, Australia, 14-17 November, 1999, expressed support for the world anti-doping agency (WADA) established by the International Olympic Committee on 10 November 1999. 

In the interests of all athletes and youth, they resolved to work with the agency in the pursuit of an effective world-wide, concerted campaign against the misuse of drugs in sport. 

They acknowledged the invitation made at the summit by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to contribute to the further development of WADA in cooperation with the IOC. In response to this invitation, participants at the summit agreed as follows: 

The permanent location of WADA shall be determined by the WADA board, taking note of a very strong preference expressed for a city other than Lausanne. This process should be a priority issue. WADA would be registered under the applicable law of the country in which it is located. 

Members of the board appointed by the public authorities under article 6(2) shall be appointed in such a way that ensures equitable representation from all the regions of the world.  

In addition to the seats already appointed, which are 

• two representatives from the member States of the European Union,
• two representatives from the Council of Europe: one from the Council of Europe and one from the Monitoring Group of the Anti-Doping Convention,
• one representative from the Supreme Council of Sport in Africa,  
  

the remaining eleven seats available to the public authorities should be determined by a WADA-endorsed formula which ensures that equitable geographic representation is achieved from regions other than Europe and appropriate functional representation is achieved, such as, from governments of hosts of Olympic Games. 

WADA should ensure that there is board representation from experts in disciplines relevant to doping in sport, such as ethics, medicine, science, education and law. 

It is recommended that voting representation be given to other stakeholders, especially representing athletes' interests, including from Paralympic and non-Olympic sports. 

WADA's decision-making processes should be transparent and accountable. Decision-making protocols should be developed that provide for consensus and voting majorities, as appropriate. With the exception of proprietary or confidential material, the minutes of meetings of the board and the executive committee should be publicly available. 

There should be a process for declaration and review of conflicts of interest in accordance with sound corporate governance principles. There should not be representation on the board from anyone who has been found to have committed a doping offence. 

It should be explicitly stated in the mission statement or mandate of WADA that it is empowered, subject to the necessary consent and cooperation of governments and international federations, to organise and carry out year-round out-of-competition testing of athletes around the world. In this regard, the autonomy of the international federations and the national Olympic committees and sports confederations will continue to be respected. 

It should also be explicitly expressed in the mission statement or mandate that WADA has the tasks of coordinating and supporting priority research into detection methods; advising on protocols for out-of-competition testing to be included in appropriate policies; encouraging the harmonisation of legislation and sanctions, including recommending the minimum requirements for inclusion in all anti-doping policies; maintaining, publishing and reviewing annually a list of prohibited substances; coordinating an international education program; and establishing standards for accreditation of testing laboratories. 

Participants noted the proposed arrangements for financing WADA. Some considered it appropriate for the public authorities to contribute to the annual operating costs of WADA. However, the participants expressed the view that governments make substantial financial contributions to national and international efforts against doping in sport. They also drew attention to their continuing commitments to national testing programs and other national and international actions, as set out in the summit communiqué. They expressed the belief that these substantial investments provided much of the infrastructure essential for the effective operation of WADA. 

It was agreed that the consultative group, established pursuant to the Canadian proposal to the summit, should further engage with WADA on the issues set out above. Participants welcomed the cooperation of the IOC in this task. 

Participants expressed appreciation to the IOC for its indication of willingness to engage with summit participants on issues relating to WADA, as set out above. 
 

Sydney, Australia

17 November 1999

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