The Cayman Islands government has agreed to join the UK as signatory to the UN anti-doping convention to be ratified in Paris next month. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ‘s (UNESCO) International Convention against Doping in Sport will serve as the legislative framework for countries worldwide as they seek to honour international commitments.
As a step to that ratification, Cayman joined some 200 countries worldwide in agreeing the broad policies for UNESCO’s convention at a meeting organized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in February 2004. The UK, which holds responsibility for formalizing adoption of international conventions for its territories, will formally sign on the Cayman Islands next month at the UNESCO summit.
In furthering this development locally, the Minister of Sports, the Hon. Alden McLaughlin, met Saturday (17 September) with representatives from most of the Islands’ sporting organisations. At this meeting, the Minister shared plans to bring local arrangements in line with international standards, while listening to issues and taking aboard input advanced by represented organisations.
Also attending that meeting, Permanent Secretary Angela Martins explained that failure to join the UK as signatory could mean that local athletes may not be allowed to compete in international games such as the Olympics, Pan-Am Games and Commonwealth Games.
In underscoring the importance which Cayman attaches to this development, the government will be represented at a CARICOM task force on this subject in Jamaica this Thursday (22 September). Representing the Cayman Islands as an associate member of CARICOM, the Minister will be accompanied by Permanent Secretary Martins. Mr. Bernie Bush will attend as representative of the local Olympic committee.
Mrs. Martins said that she anticipated that this meeting would further understanding of regional anti-doping policies, issues and actions necessary to effecting local arrangements.
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