Kirsty Coventry in anti-doping crusade

17 Aug, 2014 - 01:08 0 Views

The Sunday News

Plaxedes Sibanda    Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S queen of waters Kirsty Coventry is attending the Youth Olympics Games in Nanjing, China where she is on an anti-doping campaign.
Coventry, an anti-doping ambassador and World Anti-Doping Agency Athlete Committee member, will take part in promoting WADA’s Athlete Outreach programme at the Games that started yesterday and will run until 28 August.

In a statement, Coventry said there was need for firmer sanctions to deter athletes from contemplating cheating and also to ensure entourages were held accountable if they were encouraging athletes to engage in doping.

“Firmer sanctions and accountability can make anti-doping stronger when the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code is introduced early next year. Anti-doping can be a complicated topic to understand, but as an athlete that has competed in elite sport for many years, I feel it is my responsibility to share my experiences and help the next generation choose the right path,” said Coventry.

In upholding the WADA outreach aims, Coventry encouraged youth to avoid using drugs so as to keep the sport clean and fairness to athletes.

“Peer pressure is a big problem and everyone is being pressured into new products by magazine covers and advertising promotions all skilfully touched up with Photoshop and other software. It’s easier to say ‘well, everyone else is doing it’. This does not make it right and many people are not doing it, this is why these sanctions are here, to keep our sport clean and therefore fair for the real athletes.

“As a young athlete, you may very well be pressured into taking something illegal. You need to know that if you get caught, you might be able to blame someone else, but because you are always the final decision maker, you will still be held responsible. Be strong; know what is right and wrong,” she said.

Coventry said prevention was as important as in the long-term success of anti-doping programmes and values-based education programmes have been adopted by sports federations and anti-doping organisations throughout the world.

Education programmes will be used to promote anti-doping and athletes will also have a chance to participate in a youth version of the Play True Quiz, WADA’s major multi-sport event programmes, which aims to inform athletes of anti-doping issues in a fun and engaging way.

 

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