February 17, 2015 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and FIS will launch the first ever Legacy Outreach Program in Falun (SWE) from 19th-21st February as the world’s top Nordic skiers gather for the 40th edition of the Championships.

Say NO! To Doping ©FIS

The Legacy Outreach Program was created as a way to provide additional support for International Federations to develop and deliver anti-doping athlete awareness programmes, and to provide them with the tools, materials and ideas to carry out effective Outreach Programmes in the future.

The program will be jointly run by WADA and FIS in the team area in the stadium. Athletes, including New Zealand skeleton racer and WADA Athlete Committee member Ben Sandford, will participate in the programme, and help promote the clean sport message to competing athletes and their entourage.

The Legacy Outreach team will interact with athletes, coaches and support personnel on a one-on-one basis, providing them with useful information on all anti-doping matters. Athletes will have the chance to participate in a number of activities, including taking part in WADA’s Play True Quiz; pledging their loyalty to anti-doping by signing the Clean Sport Pledge; and having their photograph taken in the event’s Selfie Photo Booth.

WADA President, Sir Craig Reedie said: “WADA is pleased to be launching its Legacy Outreach Programme with one of its most trusted partners in the anti-doping community, FIS. Athlete-to-athlete interaction is one of the most effective ways of driving the clean sport message home, and it is pleasing to see FIS partner with WADA to promote anti-doping at what is a very prestigious sporting event.”

FIS President, Gian Franco Kasper added: “Education is one of the most important tools in the fight against doping and this initiative is a good example of how WADA and FIS can work together to inform and educate athletes. The World Championship is the perfect backdrop as we will have athletes from a huge cross section of our Nordic events, both from small nations and large and young and experienced.”

WADA and FIS will be running a unique social media campaign surrounding the event. The Ask the Athlete – Clean As Snow campaign will feature a series of winter sport athletes answering questions provided by fellow athletes. Ask the Athlete – Clean As Snow follows on from WADA’s successful inaugural 2014 Ask the Athlete campaign.

FIS Athletes’ Commission Chair, Kikkan Randall concluded: “Teaching Athletes about the importance of clean sport is the most valuable tool we have  to create a clean and fair playing field in the future of our sport. It’s great to see WADA and FIS coming together to help educate athletes and to celebrate a commitment to clean sport at our World Championships.”