IFMA has zero tolerance for cheating and doping has no place in the IFMA family. IFMA is in full compliance with the WADA Code and works with all its stakeholders towards the implementation of WADA Codes alongside IFMA statutes, rules and policies ensuring the protection of the clean athletes.
This year the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) hosted a virtual Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Symposium, via two, two-hour sessions, on 22 and 23 April 2021. IFMA was represented by IFMA Director, Ms. Charissa Tynan, IFMA Anti-Doping Administrator, Ms. Azadeh Kamyabi and IFMA Medical Commission Chair, Dr. Erdogan Aydin.
The primary objective of the virtual TUE Symposium was to further harmonize the approach to TUEs, which ensure that athletes with legitimate medical conditions may participate in sport despite their need for a prohibited substance or method.
The virtual TUE Symposium discussed elements of the 2021 International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions that entered into effect on 1 January 2021; and included interactive discussions on medical cases; medico-legal issues; retroactive TUEs; and the challenges regarding global harmonization of practices. There were also dedicated question-and-answer sessions.
Ms. Azadeh Kamyabi, IFMA Anti-Doping Administrator, stated IFMA’s priority has and always will be to protect and support our clean athletes and to promote clean sport environment. We strongly believe in prevention through education. Athlete’s first experience with anti-doping should be through Education rather than Doping Control. IFMA will continue to do their utmost best to prevent athletes and athlete support personnel from doping, and to promote behavior in line with the values of clean sport. We see all these as an investment into the future of muaythai and IFMA.