Thailand is placing importance on rooting out banned substances at international sports competitions, and is working to issue laws that correspond to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s international standard.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) last week ruled Thailand, Indonesia, and North Korea non-compliant with the agency’s requirements, effectively making the countries ineligible to host championships at the regional, continental or world levels.
Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) Governor Gongsak Yodmani explained that Thailand has been working to achieve compliance with WADA requirements. The SAT has worked to implement audit programs on the Doping Control Agency of Thailand (DCAT) under the suggestions of the WADA, a process which is still under evaluation by the latter and which is expected to complete on November 17. Meanwhile, the WADA has already given its endorsement to the DCAT’s regulations aimed at fighting banned substances in sports.
Gongsak said efforts have been made to tackle a third issue, the WADA’s discovery of non-compliant sections within Thailand’s anti-doping law. He elaborated that the Cabinet endorsed amending the 2012 anti-doping law on September 21 and called for submission of the revised bill within 3-4 months so approval can be made and hosting of international competitions may continue.
The SAT governor concluded that Thailand has been carrying out all processes demanded by the WADA but attributed the hold-up in amending the anti-doping law to the need for careful considerations about increasing penalties on substance users and the establishment of an independent organization. (NNT)
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