Anti Doping for Professional Competitors??

I personally do not agree that Ballroom Dancing is a Sport. It is athletic and an art form as is Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Break Dancing, etc. It seems that there are still dancers who are trying unsuccessfully to get Ballroom Dancing into the Olympics. Olympic Committees of several countries have already accepted Ballroom Dancing as a sport but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not agreed to include Ballroom dancing in the Olympic Games and in my opinion its seems they never will. The following announcement about anti doping, for me, is shocking - how will the competitors be tested? a blood test, a urine test, a throat swab? Read on: -

  

National Dance Council of America Inc (NDCA) 

NDCA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RELEASED THE FOLLOWING FROM THE WORLD DANCE COUNCIL:

Donnie Burns MBE – President of World Dance Council
Vice Presidents of World Dance Council: Morten Andresen - Fred Bijster - Nils-Hakan Carlzon - Brian McDonald (USA) - Isao Nakagawa - Stanislav Popov - Steve Powell - Jack Rothweiler (USA) - Svein Rotvold - Rudi Trautz

RUDI TRAUTZ – World Dance Council (WDC) and World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) Commissioner.

Neusaess, 3rd February 2012

Dear Competitors,

The year 2012 will bring us a new era of competitive dancing for WDC Professionals. As you all know, the WDC has signed an agreement with WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) that all Competitors have to adhere to the rules of antidoping. The aim of the anti doping policy is-

First, that all competitors have an equal opportunity to compete against their fellow competitors not giving anybody a chance to have an advantage through doping and-

Second, and I feel this is more important, to protect the health of the competitors. Doping is dangerous for your health and can be deadly. Seemingly harmless or less dangerous drugs that help to lose weight are proven to be life shortening! When you are young and hungry for success this might not bother you too much. But when the time comes, you will think different. There is also a life after competing. Testing will start in the second half of the year 2012. The best way to prepare yourself for an eventual test is, to be careful which kind of medicine you take or is described to you by the doctor. Inform your doctor that you are under the WADA anti doping code.

Check the WDC website for the list of prohibited drugs. If you take food supplements, check first that they are clean. If in doubt, contact the company making the supplements to find out if you can take them.

Therapeutical Exemptions.
Sometimes it will be necessary for your doctor to prescribe not allowed medicines that you need to cure your illness. If possible, contact the Therapeutical Exemptions Commissions doctor: Dr. Andreas Schwab, Tel.0049 173 362 72 36, e-mail dr.andreasschwab@t-online.de, before you take the medicine to obtain an exemption.

If this is not possible because of urgency, the latest you have to inform Dr. Schwab or myself Rudi Trautz, tel 0049 151 291 353 16, e-mail r.trautz@gmx.de, directly after you have taken the prescribed medicine in order to get a permission.

Most countries have a NADA (National Anti Doping Agency). Whether your national NADA will be involved in testing is up to your WDC member (this would be the National Dance Council of America - NDCA). At the moment we deal only with WDC Championships.

Just remember, healthy food and extra exercise are much better for your fitness, health, looks and your results in competitions.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me any time (hopefully not between midnight and 8 in the morning). I will be happy to help you with any question or problem you have.

Happy New Year to you!!

Rudi Trautz