PENANG, 21 February 2013 - Youth and Sports Ministry (MYS) will collaborate with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to provide 3,000 urine samples per year to be tested by USM Doping Control Centre (DCC).

Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said that the collaboration between the two parties is very important for USM DCC to regain and maintain laboratory accreditation by the internationally recognised body, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

He said, the WADA has outlined certain criteria that must be adhered to in order to maintain laboratory accreditation test, including acquiring a minimum of 3,000 test samples per year.

“We will look into this matter in detail and is willing to work with USM in regaining WADA accreditation in the near future. Malaysia is concerned with the problem of drug abuse in sport and will seriously look at the sports development environment to ensure that it is being carried out with high integrity,” he said.

 

He said this at a special press conference after chairing a special meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dato’ Omar Osman, and DCC Director, Prof. Dato’ Bahruddin Saad here today.

Also present were the Deputy Secretary-General of MYS, Dato’ Sri Zaidon Asmuni, Director of the Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia (ADAMAS), Dato’ Ramlan Abd. Aziz, and USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Prof. Muhamad Jantan.

Shabery added that discussion also focused on the preparation of a strategic plan that will see the requirements and the timeline needed to meet all the conditions to regain accreditation.

“USM DCC will be restructured to ensure that its two objectives – obtaining re-accreditation and establishing relationships with other agencies including MYS – will be achieved,” he said.

The session was also attended by an expert from King's College of London, Professor David Cowan, who was invited to provide comments and suggestions to DCC in pursuit of accreditation in the near future.

In the meantime, USM DCC was first recognised by WADA in 2005 but the accreditation was withdrawn of due to issues related to an athlete testing procedures in 2010. - Text: Marziana Mohamed Alias / Photo: Mohd. Fairus Md Isa / Translation: Yong Check Yoon