Cathy Belvedere the CEO of Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sports (BCDS) was asked a few questions by www.islandstats.com trying to help the public understand the role that the BCDS play.
Today we bring you Part One of a Two part Interview with Belvedere.
Q. The Bermuda Cricket Board is Hosting the ICC Americas World Cricket League Division 1 will all the players from each country be required to be tested before competing, and or will testing be done during the tournament?
A. We did pre event test the Bermuda players. We were not invited to provide any screenings for the event itself. The ICC rules says that they determine if doping controls are necessary and give 3 months advance notice. This is not considered a high level event on their calendar and they did not request doping controls. International Federations are within their rights to do this and more recently WADA have issued suggested guidelines if a NADO wishes to conduct screening and has not been invited.
Q. The Newport to Bermuda Yacht Race is fast approaching will all competitors of this race be tested in order to take part?
A. This event is considered an “invitational”– it is not sanctioned by ISAF and so does not warrant drug testing.
Q. Bermuda athletes take part in several International Competitions, are you satisfied that other countries are doing just as much as Bermuda in order to make sure the playing field is level?
A. We are confident that other countries are operating at high levels of best practice. Major Games organizations such as Commonwealth Games; CAC and CARIFTA have always had high standards for their events and any country who hosts has to be at a high standard. The same expectation will apply for International Federations or other major games organizations who will only give the go ahead for an event to be held in a particular if they are operating at best practice. WADA also has the option of sending in what are called WADA observers who conduct an “audit” of an event and provide a report to WADA on how a particular country faired in the provision of doping control.
