Green light for the Rodchenkov Act: the United States Senate adopted, on Monday November 16, this law which allows the United States justice system to prosecute and impose prison sentences of up to ten years and fines of up to ten years. ‘raise to one million dollars to all people, regardless of nationality, involved in an international doping system.
The target groups are especially those around the athletes – coaches, agents, managers, officials – more than the athletes themselves, who can already be sanctioned by the international anti-doping agency (WADA).
The Rodchenkov Act, named after the former director of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory behind the revelations on organized doping in Russia and a refugee in the United States, was first validated by the House of Representatives in October 2019 .
Republicans and Democrats in unison
Adopted by the Senate, bringing together Republicans and Democrats in unison on this ground, this law, presented as a response to the reactions deemed insufficient by WADA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to sanction Russia for its fraudulent policy in the matter between 2011 and 2015, is only waiting for the signature of US President Donald Trump to enter into force.
A news welcomed by the American anti-doping agency (Usada), ardent defender of this law. “It’s a monumental day in the fight for clean sport around the world. We look forward to seeing the law soon help change the game for clean athletes (…) It will provide the tools to protect them and hold all international doping conspirators accountable ”, reacted the executive director of Usada, Travis Tygart.
“The law also protects whistleblowers and informants from reprisals, and provides for compensation for athletes who are victims of doping plots.”, he also wished to recall in a press release.
Subject of contention
The Rodchenkov Act has become a point of contention between Usada and WADA, who have tried unsuccessfully to oppose it, fearing that it may undermine its ability to fulfill its mission as global anti-doping regulator.
“WADA, as well as a number of governments and sports organizations, have legitimate concerns about the Rodchenkov Act. This can lead to overlapping laws in different jurisdictions, compromising having one set of rules for all athletes around the world ”, commented a spokesperson for the body to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
A second unintended consequence mentioned by WADA is that this law could dissuade “Whistleblowers take action by exposing them to multiple jurisdictions. This will seriously compromise our ability to conduct investigations ”.
The world doping policeman also fears that the law could encourage other countries to create their own extraterritorial jurisdiction for political reasons: “Used in a roundabout way, they could discriminate against athletes of certain nationalities”.
Finally, “WADA also wanted to understand why this law excludes large areas of American sport, especially professional leagues and all college sports”. “If it’s not good enough for American sports, why is it good for the rest of the world?” “, she calls out.