China, WADA: Education is key to anti-doping campaign

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Gou Zhongwen, director of the General Administration of Sport of China said on Wednesday that the Chinese government will hold "zero tolerance" towards doping.

In his speech at the opening ceremony of the second World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Global Education Conference in Beijing, Gou stressed that China has always attached immense importance to anti-doping activities by advocating purity of sports and combating drug abuse.

He also pointed out that China focuses on anti-doping education and abuse prevention to help both athletes and coaches learn more about the importance of the mission.

China's focus to education is shared by Craig Reedie, president of the WADA, who said that the organization's focus on anti-doping has shifted from traditional testing to education.

Craig Reedie, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) /VCG Photo

"Traditionally, the way to protect clean athletes is to test them and being involved in lots of rules. We are trying to change the principle, we need to educate people, particularly the young people. If we are going to win the fight against doping in sports, it is much better to educate people on a very wide basis than to test and punish them," said Reedie in an interview with Global Times.

Conventionally, testing and punishment act as a deterrence against doping. However, only high-profile cases manage to gain public and media attention.

In contrast, education programs can involve as many people as possible and thus is more effective in helping people learn why anti-doping matters.

China and WADA agree that education plays an important role in anti-doping campaign. /VCG Photo

"If we are going to win the fight against doping in sports, it is much better to educate people on a very wide basis than to test and punish them. From an educational point of view, the rules and principles and ethos behind it all are much more important, as it reaches many more people," said Reedie.

Beijing will be hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics and China has promised an event that is "pure and clean as snow and ice."