The role of the Bureau is, with respect to the International Convention against Doping in Sport (“the Convention”), “to contribute to raising strategic challenges in areas arising from the implementation of the Convention, including issues relating to lack of compliance, and suggest approaches for improvement”.

The Bureau has taken note of the fact that WADA has declared that RUSADA (Russia’s National Anti-Doping Organisation) is not compliant with the Code and the previously WADA-accredited laboratory in Russia is currently suspended.

With this in mind, the Bureau has referred back to the articles of the Convention, most notably Article 4 “Relationship of the Convention to the Code” and Article 5 – “Measures to achieve the objectives of the Convention”, which state:

Article 4 – Relationship of the Convention to the Code

1. In order to coordinate the implementation, at the national and international levels, of the fight  against  doping  in  sport,  States  Parties  commit  themselves  to  the  principles  of  the  Code as the basis for the measures provided for in Article 5 of this Convention. Nothing in   this   Convention   prevents   States   Parties   from   adopting   additional   measures   complementary to the Code.

(…)

Article 5 – Measures to achieve the objectives of the Convention

In abiding by the obligations  contained  in  this  Convention,  each  State  Party  undertakes  to  adopt  appropriate  measures. Such measures may include legislation,  regulation,  policies  or  administrative practices.

The Bureau welcomed the presentation and the commitment of the Russian Sports Minister, Vitaly Mutko, to root out doping in sport in Russia, and the steps he is taking in response to the McLaren Report. The relevant Russian Authorities are committed to working with the Bureau going forward.

The Bureau reaffirms the principles enshrined in the Convention which emphasises  “…that public authorities and the organizations responsible for sport have complementary responsibilities to prevent and combat doping in sport, notably to ensure the proper conduct, on the basis of the principle of fair play, of sports events and to protect the health of those that take part in them” and   “…the need to encourage and coordinate international cooperation towards the elimination of doping in sport” ;  

Public authorities are entitled to intervene on the side of the sports movement to ensure the fairness of sport. UNESCO’s regulatory role in anti-doping through the Convention serves as the unique international public governance provision, to enable countries and all concerned parties to fulfil their duties. This is to protect sports integrity and preserve the values of sport with the Olympic goals based on courage, perseverance and integrity.

With this in mind, and taking into account the magnitude of the increasingly complex challenges and threats to the fundamental principles and ideals of sport, in particular corruption, fraud and repetitive violations of the norms that regulate sporting activities, the Bureau will submit to the 6^th session of the Conference of Parties a set of measures that will strive for better international cooperation to enable transparency and harmonization of national anti-doping public policies.

The Bureau considers the determination made by International Sport Federations to ensure consistency in law enforcement and the consequence on anti-doping rule violations by all concerned parties and at all levels are fully in compliance with international regulation on anti-doping and the rule of law.

In order to ensure consistency and transparency in the fight against-doping and the protection of sports integrity, and considering the discussion at today’s extraordinary meeting, the following actions and recommendations are agreed:

1. Conducting a review of the national anti-doping policy of the Russian Federation under the practice of the Conference of Parties;
2. A compliance Label on monitoring national anti-doping policy will be presented for consideration to the COP 6;
3. A Review Commission of State Policy and Anti-Doping to be presented to the COP 6;
4. An Ad Hoc Task Force to be envisaged with all concerned stakeholders to address pressing matters related to doping: IOC, WADA, UNESCO and concerned regional Intergovernmental entities;