At the World Anti-Doping Conference currently taking place in Johannesburg, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) intends to adopt new guidelines in the fight against doping. Among other things, convicted athletes who knowingly used illegal means should now be banned for four years. It is also hoped that this will have a deterrent effect. “It certainly cannot be said that murderers let heavy sentences stop them from murdering”, explained WADA Director General David Howman in an interview with the dpa news agency. "Nevertheless, you have to find a way to keep dopers out of competition for a longer period of time." Supervisors and doctors who can be proven to be sports fraud should also be punished more severely. The decision should be published by Friday at the latest. The new rules are to come into force on January 1, 2015. "The rules have gotten better and that's why I expect the fight against doping to get better in practice", Howman continues.
In addition to the resolution, a new WADA President is also to be elected. Craig Reedie is running to succeed the post currently occupied by Australian-born John Fahey. The 72-year-old Scotsman is Vice President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and has been a member of the WADA Board for several years. He is the only candidate for the presidential elections.