Newyddion

02/03/2023 00:00, I Mewn Blog / Club Notice Board /

In conjunction with UK Anti Doping, Welsh Athletics have undertaken a review to ensure that the sport of Athletics in Wales has the most robust approach to anti-doping.

As part of this review, we have identified a number of areas of improvement that we will be looking to implement at the start of the next affiliation year (April 1st 2023).

Affiliated Athletes

Currently, an athlete becomes a member of Welsh Athletics by joining an affiliated club. All the clubs are bound by the various codes of practice that comes as being an affiliated club – this relates to the adhering of codes of conduct, safeguarding regulations, the rules of the sport and the rules relating to anti-doping.

We need to ensure that every athlete who joins a club understands that by joining the club, they are adhering to the same codes of practice that each club meets as part of its affiliation to Welsh Athletics.

We are therefore requesting that the following text is included in all club membership forms;

‘By becoming a member of the club, you are automatically agreeing to the codes of practice as stated by Welsh Athletics – this relates to the codes of conduct, to the rules of UK Athletics and to adhere to all anti-doping rules and regulations. 

'All members shall be deemed to have made him/herself/themselves familiar with and agreed to be bound by the UKA Anti-Doping Rules and to submit to the authority of UKA Anti-Doping in the application and enforcement of the Anti Doping rules.

The UKA Anti-Doping rules apply to all members participating in Athletics for a minimum of 12 months from the commencement of membership, whether or not the member of a citizen of, or resident in, the UK.’

Athlete Membership Termination

Currently a member pays an annual affiliation fee to Welsh Athletics. This fee is set at the Annual General Meeting. An athlete remains affiliated to Welsh Athletics until the stage where they decide to no longer renew their affiliation.

If an athlete decides to no longer take part in the sport, they tend to continue with their annual affiliation until the end of the affiliation year. We would like to include the ability for an athlete to terminate their affiliation with the governing body should they wish to do so at any point during the affiliation year.

In order to do so, any athlete will have to write to Welsh Athletics directly (directed to Jacqueline.brace@welshathletics.org) requesting that their affiliation be terminated. Welsh Athletics will inform the club, update the membership portal and write back to the athlete to confirm their request has been actioned.

The two aspects outlined above are part of a series of steps being undertaken to further improve the sport for everyone involved. I trust that our member clubs will support these changes, and will implement for the start of the next affiliation year.

Should any club wish to discuss the matter in more detail, then please do not hesitate to get in touch and email james.williams@welshathletics.org

Further information relating to Anti-Doping rules and regulations can be found here.

Download the letter that was sent to all Club Chairs and Regions here.