Training for persons in detecting banned substances was one of the main issues discussed recently when Leva Lukosiute-Stanikuniene, Head of NADO/RADO Relations at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), paid a courtesy call on Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith.
Ms. Lukosiute-Stanikuniene said: “There’s a need for training of trainers for sample collection personnel. So, that we can map who are the participants; how many people would have [the training]; what resources are available; and who is responsible for what.”
She referenced a Ministerial meeting held earlier this year in Jamaica where it was agreed that RADO would provide certain essential elements.
“We will provide assistance for the development [of mapping], … but of course, there are some limits to how we provide this financial assistance, but we are discussing where we can make a map in the Caribbean region,” she said.
Minister Griffith, in response to the need for personnel to be trained, suggested engaging persons who are interested in sports.
“There is a Sports Management Programme at the Barbados Community College, and I would love to put the offer on the table for some of those youngsters who are coming out of the Community College with their associate degree, some of them may be interested in being exposed to this type of thing,” he said.
Mr. Griffith also noted that anti-doping wasn’t a huge issue within the sporting community in Barbados and little promotion was being done to educate athletes.
“I’m concerned with so many persons involved in sports, that the message is not necessarily reaching them in terms of the anti-doping process. I don’t think we have a major problem with it on island but, at the same time, I think there’s a need for the information to be disseminated among the different national federations here,” he stated.
Ms. Lukosiute-Stanikuniene congratulated the Minister and his team and emphasised that WADA needed the assistance of Government in building capacity in Barbados for anti-doping and educating young athletes.