New independent agency set to lead anti-doping initiatives

THE Irish Sports Council (ISC) aims to transfer its anti-doping programme to an independent agency by 2009.

The decision comes after recent recommendations from the Council of Europe and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that warned of a perceived conflict of interest for bodies such as the ISC.

“The service of sample collection will be carried out to a high-quality standard under a revised system implemented fully from within the Irish Sports Council, thereby protecting the integrity of the core business of the unit,” said an ISC statement.