THE new Anti-doping In Sport Bill was tabled in the Senate last week,with the debate expected to take place this week when the Senate meets again at Gordon House.

The Bill signifies Jamaica’s commitment to the worldwide fight against doping in sports, by adopting the World Anti-doping Code, the document which guides the harmonisation of anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sports organisations around the world.

The newly revised code was approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Johannesburg, South Africa, in November 2013. It will come into effect on January 1, 2015, by which time all participating countries, including Jamaica, should have adopted the provisions by repealing their current anti-doping legislation.

Minister with responsibility for sports, Natalie Neita Headley reminded the House, during the brief debate on the Bill Tuesday, that widespread concerns about a number of adverse analytical findings involving Jamaican athletes last year had renewed focus on the Jamaica Anti-doping Commission (JADCO).

She said this led to the decision to review the Jamaican legislation, and WADA, the world body, was invited to send a team to review the operations of JADCO.

“Following this, we decided to conduct a review of the 2008 Anti Doping Act in order to clarify the roles, responsibilities and functions of the commissioners of JADCO management team,” she told the House.

In the meantime, Jamaica learnt that a new WADA code would come into effect on January 1, 2015, and the review of Act became a timely process to bring Jamaica’s legislation in line with the new WADA code.

She said that the Bill will repeal the Anti-doping in Sports Act of 2008 and introduce new legislation compliant with the new Code. She said that it also clarifies the role of

the commissioners and JADCO’s management team in terms of their duties, responsibilities and functions.

Opposition spokesperson on Sports, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, reminded the House that she was the minister when the current Act was drafted and approved.

She said that the Opposition fully supported passage of the new Bill passed in time to meet the WADA deadline, hence the need to have it passed before Parliament’s Christmas break.

Grange said that the need for global cooperation in the fight against doping in sports is necessary, as the records show spurts in the number of athletes testing positive at international events, like the Summer Olympics, from time to time.

She also welcomed the changes included in the new Bill in terms of the conditions for appointment to the commission to avoid conflicting interests, and the establishment of JADCO as a body corporate with policy guidance and strategic direction from the board.