4 December 2020: Global Athlete has been a strong supporter of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act. We are thrilled that following unanimous consent by the US Senate, President Donald Trump has now officially signed the Act that will enhance clean sport efforts globally.

The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act comes at a crucial time for the international fight against doping in sport. The Russian doping fraud scandal shook the very foundation of the global anti-doping system, a system that continues to reveal its weaknesses. This Act will greatly enhance the fight against doping by creating additional legal tools to help guard against the type of behavior discovered in the Russian doping scandal, and most recently, in the Biathlon and Weightlifting doping scandals.

By criminalizing international doping conspiracies, RADA provides law enforcement with a greater ability to investigate, pursue, and ultimately hold doping fraud perpetrators accountable. In addition, criminalizing this act will provide doping whistleblowers the same protections that are given to whistleblowers of other serious crimes.

Importantly, the Act excludes criminalizing the conduct of athletes, recognizing that the focus must be on the support personnel, corrupt administrators, criminal traffickers, and those others who perpetuate doping networks.