WADA launches Athletes’ Anti-Doping Ombuds website

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced the launch of the Athletes’ Anti-Doping Ombuds website. 

Swedish lawyer and anti-doping specialist Anna Thorstenson was announced as the inaugural Athletes’ Anti-Doping Ombuds. She said “As the Athletes’ Anti-Doping Ombuds, my role is to provide Athletes with cost-free, neutral, impartial, and fair advice and assistance with regard to their anti-doping concerns and to ensure fair application of their rights. The new website is an excellent gateway for any Athlete who may have questions or legitimate concerns about their rights or the anti-doping system more generally. I would invite all athletes and Anti-Doping Organizations to please take note of this important new website and for ADOs to share it with athletes within their jurisdiction.” 

WADA Athlete Council Chair and ExCo member, Ryan Pini, said “I am happy to see that the Athletes’ Anti-Doping Ombuds website is now up and running. The Ombuds Program is so important to the athlete community. I encourage athletes around the world to feel free to contact the Ombuds, Anna Thorstenson, directly via the site with any questions that they may have concerning the anti-doping system. The Ombuds role was established to fill the gap between Athletes and Anti-Doping Organizations and to provide Athletes with safe and confidential assistance when they feel they are unable to turn to their Anti-Doping Organization directly.”

The purpose of the Ombuds is to provide athletes with cost-free, neutral, impartial, fair advice and assistance in relation to the World Anti-Doping Code and the entities that play a role within it.

You can read the WADA statement here and access the Ombuds website here.