WADA extends deadline to furnish reply on parallel body formation

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of no response from the Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) on the first reminder, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has set November 15 deadline to furnish the reply on the reports emerging from Pakistan regarding the formation of parallel body and reported inclusion of government’s officials in it against the laid down rules.

The second and final reminder written to the minister for IPC stressed the urgency of sharing the details of the parallel National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) so that the matter could be forwarded to internal Compliance Task Force.

“Dear honorable minister, we are following up again to kindly request a reply to the attached letter, dated September 25, 2021, from the WADA. We will be submitting a report to our internal compliance task force in the coming weeks and therefore request a reply by November 15, 2021. We thank you in advance for your cooperation,” Director NADO Tom May said.

As the ministry has failed to meet the deadline (October 7) set forth by the WADA to furnish a reply about the formation of parallel body and reported inclusion of government officials in it against the laid down rules, the world body sent the first reminder on October 15 asking the ministry to come up with a reply 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 Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) as its chairman. The minister 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 ADOP.

The POA has already expressed its total 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 signatures of Muhammad Shahid (Deputy Director General PSB).

When a ministry official was approached Tuesday, he said he would be needing time to respond.

“I have not gone through the fresh reminder, once I would see this I would be in a position to say anything,” he said.