The World Anti-Doping Agency has made a "significant difference" in combatting doping since its founding 10 years ago, WADA president John Fahey said Tuesday. The agency will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its founding on Wednesday. "There is no doubt that the fight against doping in sport has experienced a sea change under WADA's leadership and guidance," Fahey said in a statement. "As the independent international organization responsible for promoting, coordinating and monitoring the global fight, WADA has made a significant difference in the protection of athletic integrity and has offered athletes good reasons to believe in the future of sport." IOC member Dick Pound was the first president of the body, which was founded on Nov. 10, 1999. Fahey took over from Pound in 2008. WADA director general David Howman said the anti-doping body has been instrumental is keeping athletes away from performance-enhancing drugs. "All over the world, awareness is much higher today than it was 10 years ago," Howman said, noting WADA has used athlete outreach, scientific research and independent monitoring of anti-doping activities to keep athletes clean. "Global anti-doping efforts in general have become smarter and much more sophisticated with experience," he said. Despite the progress that WADA has made, Fahey said it was just the beginning. "To succeed in our common quest to rid sport of doping, all those involved - athletes, the sport movement, governments, and others - must continue to constantly increase their efforts," Fahey said. "We need to continue to act with determination and resolve. We need to continue to be innovative. Most importantly, we need to further step up education efforts in order to change mentalities and ensure that incentives for athletes to compete clean are stronger than incentives to cheat." To celebrate WADA's 10-year anniversary, the Swedish capital of Stockholm will host the agency's end-of-the-year executive committee meetings on Dec. 1-2.
