Sportsmen and women in the British Virgin Islands are now better prepared to navigate the world of anti-doping.
Over 50 athletes from across eight sporting disciplines participated in a special Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO) education seminar for National Sport Federations on Friday evening in Tortola.
Caribbean RADO Executive Director Sasha Sutherland facilitated the interactive session which included a simulation of the doping control process with Doping Control Officer Kristy Dickenson.
Sutherland was heartened by the response from the local sporting community, particularly some of the younger attendees, and stressed why it was important to hold such a session in the BVI.
“BVI is on its way to re-establishing a very sound anti-doping programme. What we’ve seen is that once we come to a member country, awareness heightens. More people are interested in who we are as an organization and how we promote clean sport in the region. We find after leaving – capacity has increased, athletes are more knowledgeable, and national sport federations are more engaged with the NADO [National Anti-Doping Organization]. It is very important that we visit our member countries to re-ignite interest that might have dwindled due to inactivity over a period of time.”
Top BVI squash player Joe Chapman also shared his first-hand experiences of the process at the international level, encouraging athletes present to do their part for the promotion of ‘clean sport’.
