UAE participates in 15th Intergovernmental Ministerial Meeting on Anti-Doping in Sport

DUBAI, 3rd July, 2018 (WAM) -- The UAE participated in the 15th 'Asia/Oceania Region Intergovernmental Ministerial Meeting on Anti-Doping in Sport', which was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, between 16th and 19th June, with the participation of 27 countries. The meeting was attended by Craig Reedie, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, the Chairman of the Asian Olympic Medical Committee, a representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, and several heads of WADA executive committees, along with Mohsin Fahad Al Dosari, Assistant Secretary-General of the General Authority for Sports, GAS, who represented Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Chairman of GAS, as well as Dr. Reema Al Hosani, Head of the National Anti-Doping Committee. The meeting discussed the latest anti-doping laws while the participating countries presented reports on their activities related to countering doping and their current challenges. Dr. Al Hosani presented the developmental plan of the National Anti-Doping Committee, as well as the UAE’s related future strategic plan, which aims to support the national sporting movement and advance the country’s anti-doping efforts. The meeting’s participants praised the presentation and expressed their readiness to provide the necessary support to the committee. The committee’s plan, which was supported by the Board of Directors of the GAS, is in line with directives of the WADA and the outcomes of the conference, which include the necessity for governments to offer the required support to anti-doping committees and agencies, to end illegal practices that tarnish the integrity of sports. The meeting also witnessed a discussion on the current challenges facing anti-doping institutions, such as budgets, human resources and government funding. The meeting’s participants praised the support of the UAE’s leadership for their progressive development plan to counter doping.