South Korea Donates Big Money To Improve WADA Reporting System

One of the frustrating parts of being an elite athlete, many say, is logging in their whereabouts to the World Anti-Doping Agency for purposes of out-of-competition drug testing. Knowing where an athlete is at all hours of the day is crucial for WADA agents, as they appear at an athlete’s house or training location without previous notice.

WADA has been working to improve the program, called the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS), to make it easier for athletes and the organization. A $200,000 donation from the South Korean government is expected to go a long way to make that goal a reality very soon.

“The gesture is a tangible demonstration of Korea’s ongoing commitment to partner with WADA, and the broader anti-doping community, to uphold the spirit of sport,” WADA President Craig Reedie said in a press release. “These additional funds will be put to good use in developing the new ADAMS — a system that is key to leveling the playing field.”

Now in its 10th year of operation, ADAMS is how an athlete informs WADA of their location throughout the day. It is always the athlete’s responsibility to make changes to their whereabouts in the system as plans change. Not being at a location when drug testers arrive can mean the same thing as a positive drug test, which could lead to suspension. The system also is how testing laboratories share test results with various national anti-doping agencies and WADA.

South Korea is very stringent in its fight to maintain clean sport, as evidenced by the recent 18-month ban by Olympic champion and national hero Tae Hwan Park earlier this year. Though the length of the suspension was mostly imposed by FINA, the Korean swimming federation had put in a place a rule that would ban a swimmer for at least three years for any doping infraction. It appears the federation is still mulling that rule, as Park is still scheduled to return to racing next March.

Full text of WADA press release:

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce that the Government of the Republic of Korea donated an additional USD 200,000 towards development of the Agency’s new Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (new ADAMS).

“WADA is very grateful for this generous donation made by the Government of the Republic of Korea,” said Sir Craig Reedie, WADA President. “The gesture is a tangible demonstration of Korea’s ongoing commitment to partner with WADA, and the broader anti-doping community, to uphold the spirit of sport,” Reedie continued. “These additional funds will be put to good use in developing the new ADAMS — a system that is key to leveling the playing field.”

“Korea is pleased to support the development of the new ADAMS,” said Kim Chong, Vice Minister, Government of the Republic of Korea. “As a WADA Foundation Board member and a leading country in information technology, Korea has taken this initiative to protect the health of athletes by helping create a fairer sporting environment via the new ADAMS,” he continued. “With this donation, we are helping tackle the complex issue of doping through financial support; and also through expanded cooperation with WADA, the sports movement and other member states.”

First launched in 2005, ADAMS is an online data management tool that allows athlete data entry and storage, as well as data-sharing and reporting to take place in a highly secure environment that restricts access to all but relevant parties. Most International Federations and National Anti-Doping Organizations use ADAMS as a central data base. Its core functionalities include Whereabouts, Therapeutic Use Exemptions, Test Planning, Results Management, the ABP and Laboratory Results.

In July 2014, WADA announced development of the new ADAMS, which will go live at the end of 2016. The new ADAMS project will significantly overhaul the existing ADAMS in order to better serve the anti-doping community and fulfill the Agency’s responsibilities under the revised World Anti-Doping Code. Among other improvements, the new ADAMS will include an investigation platform; connectivity with other systems; an optimized user interface; and, improved performance and functionality.

This donation is additional to Korea’s 2015 annual contribution of USD 128,157; and, its one-time research contribution of USD 468,951 that was committed in 2014 and will be matched in full by the International Olympic Committee.

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Firouzeh Salmanpour

8 years ago

?????????

Clive Rushton

8 years ago

No by-line so this is directed to everyone at SW:

“South Korea is very stringent in its fight to maintain clean sport, ……… It appears the federation is still mulling that rule, as Park is still scheduled to return to racing next March.”

How do you reconcile those two sentences?