Russian figure skating Olympic Champion Irina Rodnina, left, and Head of the Russian Federal Physical Culture and Sports Agency (RosSport) Vyacheslav Fetisov, right, attend press conference devoted to the forthcoming All-Russian running day "Cross-country race of nations 2006". On September, 17 sports events will be held in 82 cities of Russia. The press conference took place in RIA Novosti news agency.
Photo: Dmitry Kostyukov
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Vyacheslav Fetisov Ready to Take Doping
// RosSport leader might head WADA
Vyacheslav Fetisov, head of Russian Federal Agency for PE and Sport, might soon head one of the most influential modern sports organizations – the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). An informal meeting of European sport ministers begins in Moscow today. The ministers will choose a candidate for the position of WADA head. Fetisov’s only competitor is Sport Minister of France Jean-François Lamour.
Dmitry Tugarin, advisor to the head of Russian Federal Agency for PE and Sport (RosSport), confirmed that the meeting in Moscow will be devoted to choosing a candidate from Europe to the post of WADA chief, among other issues. Vyacheslav Fetisov contests the position.
Over seven years of its existence, WADA became one of the most influential organizations in world sports. It is not due to its budget only. WADA’s budget is quite modest for the sports sphere ($22 million, it is formed in equal proportions by contributions from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and different countries; Russia’s share is $647,000). However, WADA’s administrative possibilities are great now, and may be compared to those of international sport federations and even the IOC. WADA has the right to test athletes for doping any time whenever it finds it necessary, in any location, be it during competitions, training practice, or just rest. WADA certifies anti-doping laboratories. Formally, the IOC and sport federations disqualify the athletes who violate the anti-doping regime. Yet, these organizations act in accordance with WADA’s International Anti-Doping Code. Besides, IOC president Jacques Rogge has already announced that sport federations which did not adopt WADA’s Code will be banned from the Olympic Games.
Current WADA head Dick Pound, who used to call his agency “the chief watchdog of modern sports”, was many times criticized for tough measures taken against doping, excessive control over athletes and federations, and constant expanding of the list of prohibited drugs. Yet, WADA is the winner in most of the conflicts.
The only organizations remaining to be subdued are the International Football Association (FIFA) and some US professional leagues (the latter do not risk expulsion from the Olympics though). Yet, even they have adopted a number of points of WADA’s Code.
Ever since WADA was established in 1999, it was always headed by Dick Pound of Canada. Yet, he will have to leave it next year. According to WADA’s charter, its chairman is elected by the board of founders (it consists of 36 members: states and international sport federations have equal number of representatives) from among its members for the term of 3 years. One and the same person cannot hold the chair for over 3 terms running. Dick Pound’s third term runs out in November 2007, so he is to leave WADA anyway.
Back in 2001, the board of founders suggested to adopt the principle of rotation of chairmen, so that the representatives of different continents hold the office in turns. No official resolution for it has ever been adopted, yet there is an agreement between the interested parties about it. The same unwritten rule is used in the IOC as well. When choosing the location for the Olympic Games, the IOC always rotates the continents, although there are no guidelines for it in the organization’s charter.
It is known there is an informal agreement that WADA should be headed by a European this time. If Europe manages to choose one candidate, he is practically guaranteed to get the position. The board of founders is to choose WADA deputy chair on November 20. This person will be automatically appointed as the agency’s new chairman precisely in 1 year.
However, Europe has not reached agreement concerning the candidate yet. Sport Minister of France Jean-François Lamour and RosSport head Vyacheslav Fetisov received practically equal support of European countries. Guardian named Lamour as the favorite, saying that his success is guaranteed by his “diplomatic talent and support from IOC president Jacques Rogge,” and from the European Union. The British newspaper says that sport leaders of all 25 EU member-states have already expressed support to Lamour.
Kommersant’s source in RosSport, however, claims that practically all sport ministers of Eastern Europe and CIS support Vyacheslav Fetisov. Besides, EU’s stand on this issue is not so univocal as it seems to be. Allegedly, Sweden, Portugal, and the Netherlands are inclined to support Fetisov. North Americans as well might want Fetisov as WADA’s chair. Much will depend on them during the voting in the board of founders. Twice Olympic champion in hockey Vyacheslav Fetisov, winner of 3 Stanley Cups in NHL – 2 as a player and 1 as a coach, is more familiar to North Americans than Lamour, twice Olympic champion in fencing.
Fetisov has already taken 2 high posts in WADA. Beside holding a position in the board of founders, he became the head of WADA Athlete Committee last year. Several famous sportsmen work under his guidance in this new department of WADA. Moreover, Dick Pound once acknowledged that he “asks Fetisov for advice on serious issues”.
The rules do not prohibit to be WADA chairman at the same time with heading a national sport ministry. WADA chair’s position does not give any privileges to the official’s country. Yet, it should be remarked here that during Dick Pound’s term, there were no big doping scandals involving his fellow Canadians .
Fetisov refrained from commenting on the situation around Dick Pound’s successor elections, saying it would have been “unethical” on his part. Yet, Fetisov’s advisor Dmitry Tugarin showed that Fetisov’s staff have high hopes for their leader: “Heading the youngest committee of WADA, Vyacheslav Alexandrovich has already demonstrated his organizational skills. It is the opinion of the majority of the founders board. Several informative projects of the committee were highly evaluated both in the IOC and in major international sport federations. East European countries have gained more weight in WADA during the time of Fetisov’s work there.”
The purpose of the meeting in Moscow is to reach compromise between Jean-François Lamour and Vyacheslav Fetisov. If the ministers fail to reach agreement, the choice will be made on October 25 during the session of committee of sport ministers of the Council of Europe’s member states, or right before the session of WADA board of founders on November 20.
Alexei Dospekhov, Afsati Dzhusoiti, Andrey Semyaninov
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 19, 2006
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