Karate

   The new WKF Anti-Doping Rules, which have been formally declared in line by the World Anti-Doping Agency on 18 December 2014, have come into effect on 1st January 2015. The new document can be downloaded on the WKF’s anti-doping webpage on http://www.wkf.net/pdf/2015-wkf-anti-doping-rules.pdf 

   “WKF welcomes the revised Code approach that provides tougher sanctions for intentional cheats, while more flexibility is permitted in sanctioning such cases where an Athlete can demonstrate inadvertent doping and that he or she was not cheating”, said Rafael Arriaza, Chairman of the WKF Medical Commission.  “In addition, WKF acknowledges the new “Technical Document for Specific Analysis” as an effort to adopt smarter and more effective testing programs to address particular doping risks, rather than the former “one size fits all” approach”.

Other major changes in the 2015 Code include investigations and intelligence-gathering responsibilities, including for athletes and athletes support personnel, and an obligation to provide anti-doping education and information, focusing on “values” and the ethical reasons not to dope.

More details can be found on the dedicated WKF anti-doping webpage http://www.wkf.net/ksport-anti-doping.php, as well as the in the WADA’s Athlete Reference Guide to the World Anti-Doping Code, which highlights the areas of the Code deemed most important to athletes.

**  WKF