WBC announces new, year-round, unannounced random drug testing
Today, May 6, 2016, the World Boxing Council (WBC) in association with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) proudly announced the formal launching of their Clean Boxing Program (CBP). Under the CBP, the top fifteen WBC-rated boxers in each weight class will be subject to random, year-round unannounced testing for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and other prohibited methods in a program to be administered by VADA.
The WBC, founded in 1963 and presided by the late Dr. Jose Sulaiman for 38 years, is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the sport of boxing and implementing safety measures for the protection of all boxers. The WBC’s and VADA’s common goal is to have a clean sport.
At the present time, testing for PEDs has been limited and without uniformity from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman and VADA President Dr. Margaret Goodman representing the respective organizations is committed to educating the fighters and the boxing community on the dangers and consequences of consuming PEDs. That goal has led to the implementation of the different facets of the CBP around the world. The CBP also aspires to educate fighters about the benefits of utilizing effective nutrition and training practices. The CBP offers a multi-tiered approach, beginning with a mandatory webinar entitled “Winning Fair with the Clean Boxing Program.” The webinar will advise fighters about their obligations under the CBP and the required paperwork that must be completed. It will also discuss the CBP/VADA prohibited drug list, PED side effects, and the risks of prohibited supplement use.
Fighters will be given a 90-day window from May 9, 2016, to view the webinar and file their registration and whereabouts forms. Those items, in addition to all policies, procedures and protocols, are available on the WBC website at http://wbcboxing.com/WBCVADA/ Anti-doping experts and confidential counseling will be available to fighters who enroll in the CBP. This groundbreaking program will be mandatory for all WBC champions and the top fifteen WBC-rated fighters in each weight class. The CBP also has available funds to incorporate any other boxer who enrolls on a voluntary basis. Each athlete who is tested and other authorized parties under the CBP will receive notification of his or her test results. For further info, you can contact the WBC at Contact@WBCBoxing.com or VADA at info@VADA-testing.org
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 2011 to offer and promote effective anti-doping programs in boxing and mixed martial arts. Since its inception, VADA has conducted hundreds of anti-doping tests worldwide, using only World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratories and certified doping collection officers. VADA’s officers and the members of its board of directors have more than 100 years of experience in boxing. VADA is honored to have Dr. Don Catlin (widely regarded as the “father of anti-doping testing”) as its scientific advisor.
Not to heap praise on the WBC, but this is another example of the World Boxing Council’s exceptional efforts, forward-thinking, to help make the sport of boxing better.
