Colletta Dube
Nkosilathi Sibanda [email protected]
BULAWAYO is playing host to a two-day capacity-building workshop on the UNESCO Convention against doping in sport.
Stakeholders are gathered at St Mary’s Catholic Bassilica with the aim of strengthen anti-doping education and promote fair play across the country’s sporting landscape.
The workshop, which began on Thursday and ends on Friday, has been organised by the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
Participants drawn from provincial sports structures, national sport federations, athletes, coaches, sports administrators and other key stakeholders are being equipped with knowledge aimed at safeguarding the integrity of sport.
The workshop seeks to harmonise anti-doping knowledge across provincial sports sectors while integrating anti-doping education into the annual calendars of National Sport Federations.
It also aims to foster a culture of “clean sport” among athletes and support personnel, while encouraging public authorities and sports organisations to work together in eliminating doping through research, education and improved detection strategies.
Key presentations focus on the overview of doping in sport and the UNESCO Convention, anti-doping rule violations and their consequences, the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list, the doping control process, as well as safeguarding and athlete rights.
The programme is expected to improve awareness and understanding of the World Anti-Doping Code among athletes, coaches and sports administrators.
Organisers also expect the workshop to produce standardised anti-doping training protocols that can be implemented consistently across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces, ensuring uniform application of anti-doping education.
Another anticipated outcome is enhanced institutional capacity for local sports entities and universities to effectively manage and monitor anti-doping compliance.
The workshop further seeks to formally integrate anti-doping education into the routine operations of National Sport Federations, ensuring that lack of knowledge of anti-doping regulations no longer becomes a barrier to compliance.
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi