Luanda – Angola National Assembly approved Wednesday, in general, the Sport Anti-Doping draft law, with 176 votes in favor, no votes against and no abstentions.
Amongst other things, the law covers the prohibition of doping, the practitioner's responsibilities, the list of prohibited substances and methods, access to controls during and outside of sporting competitions and the medical treatment of sportspeople.
According to the Youth and Sports minister, Palmira Barbosa, the approved law was submitted to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for approval and, a few months later, Angola and other countries were notified by this international organization to adapt their rules to the new World Code.
The minister clarified that the WADA has set deadlines for national compliance with the World Code, after which Angola would be considered a defaulter and subject to the organization’s sanctions, namely the suspension of the country's participation in regional, continental and world competitions and events.
The minister added that failure to bring the World Code in line would also affect national members of international sports organizations and UNESCO.
Angola signed the United Nations Charter against Doping in Sport in 2006 and, in January 2009, the Parliament approved a resolution 8/09, joining the International Convention against Doping in Sport.
The report refers to the need to adapt national rules to the World Anti-Doping Code, whose primary mission is to combat the use of prohibited substances and methods in sport. DC/VIC/AMP
