Montreal, October 19, 2005 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) welcomed with great satisfaction the unanimous adoption of the first International Convention against Doping in Sport by the General Conference of UNESCO, at its plenary session today in Paris.

“The adoption of the Convention by UNESCO is a strong signal of the commitment of the governments of the world to the fight against doping in sport,” said David Howman, WADA’s Director General. “The drafting of this Convention in just two years was a world record for international treaties. We warmly commend and thank UNESCO for facilitating the process, and we look forward to the treaty coming into force and the ratification by each government before the opening day of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin.”

Until now, many governments could not be legally bound by a non-governmental document such as the World Anti-Doping Code, the document harmonizing regulations regarding anti-doping in all sports and all countries of the world. Governments have accordingly, pursuant to the Code and with the assistance of WADA, drafted this International Convention under the auspices of UNESCO, the United Nations body responsible for education, science and culture.

The International Convention against Doping in Sport is now available for UNESCO member states to ratify according to their respective constitutional jurisdictions. As of today, 181 countries have signed the Copenhagen Declaration on Anti-Doping in Sport, the political document through which governments show their intention to implement the World Anti-Doping Code through ratification of the UNESCO Convention.

More than 570 sports organizations have already adopted the Code.

For more information about the Convention, go to the UNESCO website.

World Anti-Doping Agency http://www.wada-ama.org/