WDC join World Anti Doping Agency

[Inthemood]

The World Dance Council have issued a Press Release announcing that they have joined WADA. It would appear that they have negotiated a Programme specifically for those in Competitive Dance.

WORLD DANCE COUNCIL & WDC AMATEUR LEAGUE JOIN WADA ANTI DOPING

The President and Presidium of the World Dance Council are pleased to announce that, after many months of discussion and contact between both organisations, they have now completed negotiations with the World Anti Doping Agency. They have agreed a programme suitable for those involved in competitive dance based on the WADA Anti Doping Rules and these rules will be integrated into the constitution of the Council and the competition rules of the WDC Amateur League.

The WDC has long and indisputably supported the principle and ethics of the Agency. Doping in any form has not been not acceptable in competitive activities for the WDC and WDC AL and especially not when ballroom dancing as a competitive discipline was concerned. The position, the values, the ethics, of the WDC have been reiterated many times over and to all bodies involved in dance.

The World Dance Council are pleased to announce that they have now completed formal negotiations with the WADA and all those now involved in the competitive discipline of dance will in the future be subject to the limitations and requirements of the programme agreed with the WADA.

 

[Inthemood]

There has been another annoucement recently which in many areas is raising eyebrows. There is taking place very soon a WDC Amateur League Competion in Moscow but it is under the auspices of the Russian Olympic Committee and the Vice President of the Committee will attend.

A Press Release contains the following:

One of the major prospective activities of the National Dance League is in complete harmony with the aesthetic and physical development of children and youth, in particular, the mass involvement of the younger generation to ballroom dancing classes, as one of the most harmonious of sporting activities, which include a strong aesthetic and cultural component. We believe that holding tournament dance is an integral part of this project and helping to attract more and more of our fellow citizens to participate in sports and cultural life of Russia.

With great pleasure we invite all of you for a wonderful celebration of dance - "Moscow Stars-2011"! President of the National Dance League Sergei Ryupin Executive Tournament Director Pauline Teplenko.

The tournament "Moscow Stars" is supported by the Russian Olympic Committee, which in 2011 celebrated its 100 anniversary.


ROC President Alexander Zhukov, has named this year as very important not only for Russia but for the entire Olympic movement. "We decided to use to the maximum this year to promote the sport in general, among young people - promote the ideas of Olympism. Well, of course, to support the huge number of interesting events "-

Here's an excerpt from the statement of the head of the ROC. "We are very pleased to announce that "Moscow Stars-2011" was included in the list of activities commemorating the 100 th anniversary of the Russian olimipyskogo committee and held under its auspices

 

[danceronice]

Oh, boy. Have fun peeing in a cup stripped to the waist in front of the observer, folks. For the Torino games, the US TV network did a mini-show about skating throughout the coverage, and one segment featured pairs skater David Pelltier explaining exactly how it works when you're pulled for a drug test. They have to clearly see it's really your sample. Another skater (it's slipped my mind who, but a female pairs skater) was suspended when the tester arrived at her house for a random pre-comp test and she couldn't produce a sample.

 

[Inthemood]

Oh, boy. Have fun peeing in a cup stripped to the waist in front of the observer, folks. For the Torino games, the US TV network did a mini-show about skating throughout the coverage, and one segment featured pairs skater David Pelltier explaining exactly how it works when you're pulled for a drug test. They have to clearly see it's really your sample. Another skater (it's slipped my mind who, but a female pairs skater) was suspended when the tester arrived at her house for a random pre-comp test and she couldn't produce a sample.

In the modern world of competitive activity we all have to accept things with which we might not agree. The decisions are taken out of the hands of the indivdual. I have heard stories about people given the cup and sent off the public toilets where anyone can *** in the cup.

If this move brings peace in the dance world closer is it not worthwhile?

 

[Bailamosdance]

In all the years of doing drug testing, was anyone ever disqualified for testing positive?

 

[sudoplatov]

Details matter. How is caffeine or ibuprofen or certain prescriptions going to be treated? I have always thought the drug test to be more driven by politics than by science.

Are they just screening for things like body-building steroids (assuming this would help dancing) or performance-enhancing things like caffeine or illegals like marijuana?

 

[danceronice]

If they're screening for caffeine the dance world is doomed. (But I don't know any sport where that's actually a banned substance in humans, unless they mean in VERY high doses.)

And I'm not saying don't do it, I'm saying for the skaters at least the standards involve stripping naked enough the tester can clearly see they're actually producing the urine themselves. At least at international events you don't get to take the cup in the bathroom as that would defeat the purpose.

One assumes they'll have a list of what is and isn't allowed and in what amounts, everyone else does. And room for exemptions--even though they are by NO stretch performance enhancers (I know from personal experience) Irina Slutskaia had to get an exemption for when she was on corticosteroids for an autoimmune illness as they'd show up. I'd like to see what they're looking to test for and what they consider enhancers.

 

[drejenpha]

If this move brings peace in the dance world closer is it not worthwhile?

This is going to bring peace closer how? It seems more like continued efforts at the olympics pipe dream.

At competitive levels I don't think that doping is actually an issue, I can't really think of anything that it would actually help other than maybe working through injuries.

 

[AndresL]

In all the years of doing drug testing, was anyone ever disqualified for testing positive?

Arunas Bizokas & Edita Daniute were stripped from their World title in 2006 after Edita tested positive for some drug on the WADA prohibited list. At least I've heard it was Edita, but the fact remains that the couple was disqualified from the Worlds and the German Open (they still got to keep the British, UK & International titles because these comps were not under WADA restrictions)

This is going to bring peace closer how?

One of the issues between IDSF and the WDC was that the WDC wouldn't agree to drug testing and WADA rules. I guess Inthemood had that in mind when replying.

 

[19DancerBabyLin]

One assumes they'll have a list of what is and isn't allowed and in what amounts, everyone else does... [snip]... I'd like to see what they're looking to test for and what they consider enhancers.

At competitive levels I don't think that doping is actually an issue, I can't really think of anything that it would actually help other than maybe working through injuries.

I believe they do have a list, and they're probably looking things like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AICA_ribonucleotide
I would eat some if I could. At the very least it'll help dancers power through jives, especially if they had already gone through a million rounds of callbacks. And in my ideal world I can eat that and be skinny without having to exercise... lol.

 

[AndresL]

Forgot to add in the last post... ofcourse they have a list with the banned substances but since I cannot add links yet, you have to seek it our yourselves from the IDSF website worlddancesport dot org

 

[Benjy]

At competitive levels I don't think that doping is actually an issue, I can't really think of anything that it would actually help other than maybe working through injuries.

You think dancers don't use illegal drugs? Performing enhancing or not, it's not like dancers live the cleanest lifestyles on earth.

 

[drejenpha]

You think dancers don't use illegal drugs? Performing enhancing or not, it's not like dancers live the cleanest lifestyles on earth.

I think that what judges are looking for at competition is technique. Unless they make a pill/powder/injection for that I don't see a lot of reason for drug screenings.

 

[etp777]

performance enhancing drugs so you're sitll lively at end of your jive or quickstep? Yeah, I'd say that could have a serious impact on results.

 

[danceronice]

You think dancers don't use illegal drugs? Performing enhancing or not, it's not like dancers live the cleanest lifestyles on earth.

They're not really testing for illegal narcotics. (Yes, that would be problematic, but they're not the primary target.) They're looking for performance-enhancing drugs. I question how prevalent those are because first, access (the one mentioned from wikipedia is not exactly something you can buy on the street or get OTC, and AFAIK most dancers don't have 'team doctors' and such) and second, is there a HUGE advantage? Sure, having more stamina would be nice, but if you look like you're not breathing as hard as Yulia and Riccardo is that really going to help move you up?

A concern with drug testing is also how you can screw it up if they get stringent. Skaters have gotten disqualified for taking the wrong kind of cold medicine at the wrong time, the FEI (equestrian IOC group) has drug rules that are so stringent using the equine equivalent of Aspercreme can cause a false positive for soring agents! You can wind up paranoid about taking an asprin at the wrong moment.