WADA again seeks ministry’s reply on parallel body formation

ISLAMABAD: As the Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) has failed to meet the October 7 deadline set forth by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to furnish the reply about the formation of parallel body and reported inclusion of the government officials in it violating the laid down rules, the world body has sent a fresh reminder to the ministry asking it to come up with a reply at the earliest.

The WADA in its reminder to the ministry says: “We are following up to kindly request a reply to the attached letter dated September 25, 2021 from the World Anti-Doping Agency. It is important that we receive the requested information on this urgent matter as soon as possible.”

The letter written by Tom May Director NADO/RADO has mentioned that since it was a matter of urgency, the reply should be furnished at the earliest. ‘The News’ in its September 19 edition gave the details about the formation of a parallel body backed by the government and headed by none other than the director general Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) as its chairman. The minister for IPC will be the patron-in-chief of the ADOP while the PSB Medical Board and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) will be the members of this newly-formed parallel body.

The POA has already expressed its ignorance on the formation of a parallel body, saying that they were never asked or consulted before taking such a decision. The notification to form a parallel NADO was issued on September 15, 2021 with the signature of Muhammad Shahid (Deputy DG PSB) who these days is also heading the PCB Medical Department.

Later on September 25, a letter jointly written by Tom May (Director WADA) and Kazuhiro Hayashi (Director Asia Oceania WAPDA), said that the reports of establishment of NADO parallel to the one established in 2008 is a matter of concern for WADA as the world body is eager to know as under what rule/law the new NADO has been established.

“We have recently been made aware of reports that a new National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) has been established in Pakistan and we wish to obtain further clarity on the situation, given that there is already a NADO in Pakistan, the Anti-Doping Organization of Pakistan (ADOP), which has been working since 2008 and is the official signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code. These reports of two NADOs in a country are of concern to us and therefore we are requesting the additional information.