Luanda - The National Assembly (AN) unanimously approved on Wednesday, in Luanda, the Proposed Law on Anti-Doping in Sports.
The document was approved with 172 votes in favor, none against and no abstentions, at the 4th Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the 2nd Legislative Session of the 5th Legislature.
The Law contains, among other matters, the prohibition of doping, the practitioner's responsibilities, the list of prohibited substances and methods, control access during and outside sporting competitions and the athlete's medical treatment.
It arises from the imperative need to harmonize the Legal Regulations for the fight against Anti-Doping in Sport with the International Convention Against Doping and the World Code relating to the subject with the ordinary legislation in force.
The Angolan Parliament approved, in January 2009, resolution 08/09 on Angola's accession to the International Convention Against Doping in Sport and UNESCO, automatically adopting the World Anti-Doping Code attached to the Convention.
With this accession, Angola became a full member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Anti-Doping Agency, institutions that deal with matters relating to the fight against Doping in Sport at a global and regional level, respectively.
In 2022, law 12/22 of 19 May was approved, which establishes the legal regime to combat doping in Sport in Angola.
The aforementioned Law was submitted for approval by AMA and, a few months later, Angola and other countries were notified by that international body to adapt their standards to the new World Code.
The AMA stipulated deadlines for national adaptation of the World Code, the end of which would place Angola in default status and subject to sanctions from the body, namely the suspension of the country's participation in regional, continental and world competitions and events.
Failure to adapt the World Code nationally would also affect national members serving in international bodies linked to Sport and UNESCO.
Suspension from international competitions
On September 22, 2023, the World Anti-Doping Agency issued a statement reporting Angola's non-compliance, giving another four months to correct the outstanding situations.
However, the deadline of January 22, 2024 passed without the non-conformities having been satisfactorily corrected and not even Angola contested the allegations of non-compliance.
As a result, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued a statement announcing Angola's suspension for failing to meet the deadlines for complying with its sports law in accordance with the statutes of this international organization.
The WADA document sent to the Angolan Olympic Committee (COA) maintains that the country loses, in effect, WADA privileges until its reinstatement.
Meanwhile, representatives from Angola will be ineligible to hold any position within WADA or any role as a member of any board or committee of the body.
Due to this suspension, the COA will not be eligible to host any event organized or co-organized by WADA.
Declarations of vote
Maria Odeth Tavares, from the MPLA parliamentary group, said that her party voted in favor of the Law because it understands that Doping is a serious threat to the sporting world and the health of its practitioners, whether in highly competitive or high-level sports. income or recreational sport.
Odeth Tavares, a former high-level sportswoman, highlighted the fact that doping goes against the fundamental principles of fair play, justice, honesty, responsibility and benevolence.
For his part, deputy Olívio Kilumbo, from UNITA, justified his vote in favor, as he understood that the Proposal is essential to guarantee confidence in sport and protect the health of athletes.
UNITA recognizes that there is, in sport, an enormous economic value, an asset that makes it a true matter of State and a factor of power, 'especially for those countries where the exercise of good governance is in the DNA of the class that holds the executive power of the State'.
The UNITA deputy regretted the sanction of Angola's suspension from international competitions applied by WADA, considering it 'as a lack of priorities in the country's government affairs'.
The Humanist Party of Angola (PHA) considers it essential that Angola adopt the Anti-Doping in Sports Law in accordance with the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
For deputy Fernando Diniz, the proactive stance against doping in sport elevates Angola as a responsible member of the international sporting community, which advocates honesty and ethics in competitions. DC/VIC/DOJ
