(ATR) World Rugby announced details of its 2017 anti-doping program results on Tuesday, coinciding with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s "Play True Day".
The federation says it continues to prioritize an intelligence and risk-based approach on elite rugby by carrying out 72 percent of the tests out of competition. The federation believes the close-season, injury and recovery periods are the times of highest risk for doping.
World Rugby’s 2017 program, run in partnership with regional and national anti-doping organizations, comprised 2,433 blood and urine controls undertaken across men’s and women’s sevens and 15s programs.
To date one anti-doping rule violation has been concluded and reported from the overall 2017 program with an additional two cases pending.
Focusing on continual improvement, World Rugby increased its collaboration with partner organizations to further boost effectiveness and responsiveness. This approach included the establishment of partnerships with new independent test services providers and an increased focus on intelligence and information sharing and educational programs.
"Doping remains one of the biggest threats to the integrity of sport and World Rugby is committed to protecting clean athletes and maintaining a level playing field through intelligent testing and values-based education," World Rugby Anti-Doping Advisory Committee Chairman John O’Driscoll said in a statement.
The complete 2017 program figures will be published by the World Anti-Doping Agency later this year.
ITTF Makes Strides on Social Media
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is making strides on social media.
The ITTF finished second, behind only World Rugby, in the 2018 #SportOnSocial Ranking chart by REDTORCH which measures the presence and performance of 35 IOC recognized International Sport Federations on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2018.
With more than 2.6 million social media followers worldwide, the ITTF climbed eight places in the ranking from 2017.
"It was one of my promises to continue developing ITTF’s media and promotional efforts and I am thrilled to see that my team’s hard work and dedication is rewarded in being shown second in this social index," said ITTF President Thomas Weikert in a statement.
ITTF head of media Matt Pound praised "our small, but young and motivated team whose hard work and innovative ideas has catapulted us up the social rankings".
He says the federation plans to break "all our engagement records at the upcoming World Table Tennis Championships in Sweden and crack the three million fan barrier and bring table tennis to the world."
World Bowling Inaugurates an African Zone
World Bowling’s African Zone Confederation was inaugurated this week at a meeting in Cairo.
"The continent of Africa boasts a rich tapestry of first class players, excellent tournaments and pivotal development programs," World Bowling Competition Committee chair Danny Santos said in a statement.
"The establishment of the zone is key to our strategic values of extending our sport’s reach and accessibility. We look forward to working with the zone to better create opportunities for the sport within Africa and are very excited to celebrate this monumental occasion."
During the meeting, a president, vice-president and three executive committee members were chosen for the newly formed Bowling Federation of Africa.
Farouk Haridi of Egypt will serve as president while Mrs. Kiley Cassel of South Africa is the vice-president.
Written by Gerard Farek
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