Caribbean RADO Holds Anti-Doping Educators Instructor Training in Aruba

Jan 14, 2024 Sports

Participants at the Opening Ceremony of the Regional Anti-Doping Educator Instructor Training

Kaieteur Sports – The Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization has held its first ever Regional Anti-Doping Educator Instructor Training. The workshop, which is being coordinated in partnership with the Aruba Olympic Committee and the Aruba Anti-Doping Commission, runs from January 11-14th 2024 in Oranjestad, Aruba.

The three-day face-to-face session is being facilitated by trainers from United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) and United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Caribbean RADO Chairman Patrick Werleman says the workshop, which is the culmination of years of discussions, building partnerships with UKAD and USADA, has come at the perfect time.

“We have put education as a priority. This year is an important year for our [World Anti-Doping Agency] tier-four countries because of the upcoming World Anti-Doping Code Compliance evaluation. An important requirement of compliance is having a good education programme. This year is also an Olympic year. Athletes who will be going to the Olympic Games in Paris need to be educated and made aware of the risks and dangers of doping,” says Werleman.

Selected participants, who are experienced in the delivery of anti-doping education, have been drawn from among the Caribbean RADO Member Countries. The main objective of the advanced-level workshop is to build capacity in anti-doping education programmes throughout the region with participants gaining international-level certification as Anti-Doping Education Trainers.

Wanda Broeksema, President of the Aruba Olympic Committee, says they are happy to coordinate and host the workshop, particularly considering the importance of anti-doping awareness and education in the sporting movement.

“We must say that without the help of Olympic Solidarity, this would not be possible. We are very happy that every time we have a training or a workshop for whatever topic which involves the enhancement and improvement of sports, Olympic Solidarity is always there. Equally, we are happy to see that we have ten [Caribbean RADO] member countries out of the 18, here in Aruba for the three-day workshop. When they go back to their countries, they can share the message of why it is important, not only for our athletes but also for coaches, parents, the community in its totality. It doesn’t stop with the athletes. We all want a world without doping.”

Meanwhile, during the official opening, Isnardo Faro, Chief of Staff in the Aruba Ministry of Education and Sports, highlighted Government’s commitment to supporting all anti-doping related matters.

“The Government of Aruba gives yearly financial contributions and support to the National Anti-Doping programme and the education programme through the Sport Subsidie Aruba (SSA). Under the UNESCO

Convention Against Doping in Sport, we have responsibilities which we are working very hard to comply

with,” said Faro.

Participants at the Opening Ceremony of the Regional Anti-Doping Educator Instructor Training

“We can now say that we are in the final phases of establishing a National Anti-Doping Compliance Platform

to make sure that Aruba complies with the requirements of the UNESCO Convention. The purpose of the

World Anti-Doping Code is to protect the rights of the clean athlete. It is for this purpose that the Aruban

Olympic Committee, the UNESCO National Commission, with the support of the Minister of Sports and

Education has established this collaboration,” he added.

Participants were also visited by the Sports Minister himself, Hon. Endy Croes on the opening day at the

Hyatt Place Aruba Airport Hotel.

The training will empower participants to train new education officers in delivering World Anti-Doping

Agency-compliant anti-doping education programmes as well as confidently plan, prepare and deliver anti-doping educator training courses, develop sustainable values-based education programmes at all levels, and support future succession planning across the region.

The eleven countries represented during the session are: Antigua and Barbuda, hosts Aruba, Barbados,

British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

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Anti-Doping Educators, The Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization, United States Anti-Doping Agency

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