THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is confident the country will escape suspension when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) finally issues its decision regarding its investigation into the alleged failure of the sports commission to properly monitor drug tests on Filipino athletes.
Top sports officials, led by PSC chairman Richard Bachmann, PSC executive director Paulo Tatad and Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO) officer Nathan Vasquez, speaking at Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, jointly made assurances that WADA requirements regarding drug tests are being complied with.
READ PH doping case now with CAS after disputing WADA allegations
“We are working with Malacanang with the legislative requirements of WADA," said Bachmann.
To avoid future hassles with WADA, Bachmann wants to empower PHI-NADO to become a fully independent and operational group with personnel to handle drug issues faced by thousands of athletes in the national pool.
“Right now ang trato namin sa PHI-NADO is like an NSA. We just fund them. Siguro dapat independent na sila,” said Bachmann.
The PSC chief cited Indonesia as an example of what it did when it had an issue with WADA. He said Indonesia was non-compliant in 2021, then decided to establish its own organization like the PHI-NADO and the country is now compliant.
The PSC has been trying to follow WADA's instructions after the organization threatened the country with suspension from participating in international events such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics if it failed to comply with the WADA code.
Philippines makes appeal
The Philippines appealed the WADA action, and the issue has been elevated to the Court of Arbitration in Sports (CAS).
According to Bachmann, WADA representatives are visiting next month to see for themselves how the country is addressing the issue. Local sports officials, in turn, are making sure that when the visit comes, every requirement has been complied with.
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