MINISTER OF Sport and Youth Affairs, Shamfa Cudjoe, has reassured the delegation at this year’s seventh UNESCO Conference of Parties (COP) to the International Convention against Doping in Sport in Paris, France, of TT and the Caribbean’s commitment to the fight against doping in sport.
Speaking during her address at the COP recently, Cudjoe heaped praises on the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) and the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC) for their positive strides thus far towards combating doping in sport.
According to a recent statement issued by RADO, Cudjoe credited the regional governing body for significantly assisting TT’s phased plan of action and the development of a fully functional local anti-doping organisation.
“The government of TT has committed to providing the necessary support resources to ensure that we take responsibility, do right by our sporting fraternity, and uphold our commitment to UNESCO, WADA, our Caribbean RADO, and our peers in the international community,” stated Cudjoe.
She also acknowledged her Ministry’s role in continuing to raise awareness on doping through the facilitation of educational initiatives across the country. The Sport Minister however, noted that there was still more to be done towards achieving international compliance.
She also issued a challenge to regional and international governments to provide support for the International Convention. The former Minister of Tourism added that the session was timely in the build-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and commended UNESCO for its commitment to fighting doping while noting its importance to small nation states.
“I am pleased that we have joined forces to tackle this problem head on, because upon considering the power and considerable capabilities of sport, leaving this problem unchecked could cost us our very existence,” she added.
Issues of compliance along with funding for the elimination of doping in sport were among the main topics for the statutory conference which is held every two years.