Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission gets mobile testing unit, one of two in the world
The newly retrofitted unit was officially handed over to the commission, by the Honourable Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in a ceremony held at JADCO on Wednesday, September 30, 2020.
The mobile testing unit which is disabled-friendly consists of wheelchair ramps, support railings, restrooms for doping control, waiting areas to accommodate athletes and support personnel and storage areas.
The unit will allow the Commission to conduct more In-Competition and Out-of-Competition tests in remote locations and will increase the efficiency of the national anti-doping programme.
“This has been a dream for us and today our dream is a reality. I am going to be unveiling and launching this mobile unit that will be one of two such anti-doping mobile units that exists in the world, operated by a National Anti-Doping Organization,” said Minister Grange.
“So Jamaica has now introduced the unit and the only other National Anti-Doping Organization in the world that has a similar unit is the Japan Anti-Doping Agency, so we are very proud to be one of two.”
Chairman of JADCO, Alexander Williams said he was pleased to announce that the deployment of this mobile unit will expand the testing capacity of the commission. “It will also improve the service we provide and enable us to travel across the island to test Jamaican athletes in a secure environment that meets the required international standards,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jamaican sprinter hurdler Megan Tapper expressed her satisfaction that JADCO had now improved its capabilities as the country strives to support clean sport.
“I am super impressed with the JADCO bus,” said the 2019 World Championships finalist.
“I am happy that our government and our anti-doping agency are looking to the future and making us world leaders not only on the track but in anti-doping.”
JADCO was formally established in 2008 to execute the national anti-doping programme in accordance with the standards stipulated by the international governing body, the World Anti-Doping Agency. JADCO’s mission is to foster a dope free environment in Jamaica that promotes the ethics and spirit of sport through education, testing, advocacy and coordination of an effective anti-doping programme in Jamaica.