Anti Doping Seminar Commences in Nevis

Sports Page—Friday 27th September 2013– A very impressive opening ceremony held at the Red Cross headquarters located at chapel Street, Charlestown, signaled the start of a two day seminar based on anti-doping in Sports.

The ceremony was held on Thursday 26th September and commenced shortly after 9am.

The theme used was ‘Leveling the playing field in High Schools,’ and attracted 35 participants which included Physical Education Teachers and coaches from St. Kitts and Nevis.

The proceedings were ably chaired by Mr. Stanley Knight who indicated that although a similar workshop was recently held in St. Kitts, the participants from St. Kitts who did not get included in the first session, were invited to join their counterparts in Nevis.

He explained that with all that is going throughout the world with athletes being caught on the wrong side of the anti-doping policies, the concentration is on educating the Teachers and Coaches so that they can guide the young athletes into right paths to avoid embarrassment in the future.

The workshop which will conclude on Friday 27th September is being funded by UNESCO, in collaboration with the Caribbean RADO (Regional Anti-doping organization) and the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The opening ceremony involved the singing of the national anthem by the participants present and a prayer by Education Officer Shefton Liburd.

UNESCO representative, Antonio Maynard, termed the workshop ‘timely’ and also made a very interesting revelation which sparked quite a bit of interest. He indicated that interested groups can access funds of up to $20,000.00 US from UNESCO for organizing similar follow up training sessions for young athletes or leaders within the community.

Caribbean RADO representative Tessa Chadderton-Shaw took time out to greet the participants and impressed upon them that it would be two days of intense training. The first day would involve theoretical aspects and the second day would involve practical aspects. She warmly congratulated Attorney at law, Kurlyn Merchant who has been involved with the Caribbean RADO for a few years, on being a major driving force in ensuring that the program was done in Nevis.

Sports Coordinator within the Ministry of Education, Michelle Sutton was also lauded for leading out in the organization of the workshop.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Lornette Queeley-Connor took time out to stress on the importance of such a workshop as she noted that young athletes will now be properly guided and be able to avoid some of the pitfalls experienced by top athletes in the past.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Kurlyn Merchant.

Some of the topics to be covered over the two days include:

• The importance of anti -doping education in schools

• The mandate of the world anti-doping agency (WADA)

• The World of the Caribbean RADO

• Defining doping in Sports

• The doping control process

• The 2013 prohibited list

• Understanding the anti-doping frame work in St. Kitts and Nevis