Caribbean RADO at the ready to assist in the fight against doping

Jan 17, 2014 Sports

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Guyana is part of 15-member body

By Franklin Wilson
“There is more to being an athlete than training, exercise, valour and victory. An athlete must also be responsible and informed,” this is how the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (Caribbean RADO) describes an athlete.
Banned drugs in sports has seen entities the world over, led by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) teaming up, to combat this growing threat to clean competitive rivalry on and off the field of rivalry.

Closer to home the Caribbean RADO, which has been in existence since 2005, has been making its contribution in this continuous fight. Fifteen (15) Caribbean countries are affiliated to this entity which is led by Dr. Adrian Lorde as Chairman and Executive Director – Tessa Chaderton-Shaw both of Barbados.
Guyana is represented on the board by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, Alfred King.
Kaieteur News, in its continued efforts to educate our readers and Guyana at large on the concern of drugs in sport, posed some questions to Executive Director, Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw of Caribbean RADO on its roles and functions and the programmes they have in train to assist its members and athletes by extension.
Following are the questions and answers:
KN – I would like  to first know how long the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation has been around, its roles and functions?
Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – The Caribbean RADO has been in existence since 2005. It is largely responsible for anti-doping activity (education, testing both in and out of competition) in its fifteen member countries.

KN – How many countries in the Region are affiliated to the CRADO?
Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – There are 15 member countries in the Caribbean RADO.
KN – What is being done in terms of educational programmes and follow up for affiliates?
Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – Anti-doping education underpins all that we do since it is essential that athletes, their entourages, their management, national, regional and international sport federations understand what anti-doping is and what isn’t.
In keeping with the World Anti-Doping Code, member countries through their Board Members are expected to lead the charge by constantly outlining these responsibilities to the entire sport fraternity in terms of playing fair and playing true.
KN – With quite a number of athletes being tested positive, how your organisation is aiming to combat this, and your advice to athletes, coaches and sporting organisations in rising above this challenge?
Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – This is the very raison d’etre of our mandate; to elicit the best from athletes and to ensure that there is a level playing field in all sports in all RADO member countries. This is largely achieved through our annual board meetings, through technical assistance and funding from the World Anti-Doping Agency, by my own interface and interventions with member countries, through country visits, by utilizing Doping Control Officers (DCOs) in the overall effort.
KN – There has always been the complaint about the prohibitive costs of carrying out drug tests by the various associations/federations affiliated to the Guyana Olympic Association and perhaps other Olympic Associations in the region, how can the Caribbean RADO be of assistance to these entities with a view to have athletes tested?

Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – National sport federations should allocate a budget for testing. However, in the past few years, WADA has allocated significant funds to Caribbean RADO member countries so that they can avail themselves of testing out-of-competition.
Guyana accessed this grant in 2013 and conducted 6 tests in Boxing. Lab Analysis fees for one urine sample in competition costs US$240; one sample out of competition costs US$160. This does not take into consideration the costs of courier for shipment to the lab and other expenses incurred.
KN – Who is Guyana’s representative at Caribbean RADO?
Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – Mr. Alfred King, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports.
KN – How is the individual elected/selected and the term of office?
Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – Each Board member is selected by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and by the Government. This is a joint decision. The term of office is four years.
KN – How often are meetings held and what is expected of this representative in terms of information being filtered back to the associations/federations?
Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw – Meetings are held annually. Each Board Member has clearly-defined responsibilities including being the leader and main point of contact in establishing anti-doping programmes; complete all agreed upon tasks as discussed at RADO Board Meetings; ensure that the Government and the NOC are informed of the needs and progress of both the RADO and the implementation of anti-doping activity; communicate regularly with the RADO office and with relevant stakeholders in country; have the authority and the ability to implement anti-doping programmes in country.

The Caribbean RADO’s membership includes Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago & the Turks & Caicos.
List of Board Members are: Chairman – Dr. Adrian Lorde (Barbados), Executive Director – Tessa Chaderton-Shaw (Barbados), Felix Wilson (Dominica), Judith Joseph (Trinidad and Tobago), Donald McLean (Cayman Islands), Dr. Philmore Benjamin (Antigua & Barbuda), Clifton Keenswijk (Suriname), David Morley (Bahamas), Dr. Perry DeFreitas (St. Vincent & the Grenadines), Dr. Sonia Johnson (Grenada), Leroy Greene (St. Kitts & Nevis), Dr. Kenneth Louisy (St. Lucia), Alfred King (Guyana), Rosalie Ingham (Turks & Caicos Islands), Dr. Christian Mejia (Aruba), Ephraim Penn (British Virgin Islands).

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