WDSF launches WADA-Supported "Dance Clean" programme 04/12/2021

The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) is proud to announce the launch of Dance Clean, an ambitious multi-yearanti-doping education programme designed to help athletes and national federations keep the sport clean.

Working in conjunction with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the WDSF will organise and promote effective prevention and values-based education programmes aimed at a range of WDSF stakeholders, including athletes, coaches, adjudicators and sport administrators. The programmes will be designed for participants of all DanceSport disciplines, from Breaking and Rock’n’Roll to Standard and Latin.

Dance Clean is a long-term anti-doping education programmewhose first phase is expected to conclude by 2024. It will include workshops, webinars, brochures and a dedicated section on the WDSF website. The programme will be based on the arsenal of WADA resources designed for Olympic federations to foster doping-free cultures within their sports.

“Ensuring a level playing field for our athletes is priority number one,” said WDSF President Shawn Tay. “Every dancer should feel confident going into a competition that their rivals do not have an unfair advantage, and our Dance Clean education programme will provide our stakeholders with all the information they need to make intelligent decisions and embrace fair play.”

As a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code since 7 November 2003, the WDSF is fully Code compliant. In addition to anti-doping education programmes, other anti-doping activities undertaken by the WDSF include the management of in- and out-of-competiton testing and sanctioning those who commit anti-doping rule violations.

“Together with WADA, the WDSF implements a number of activities to raise awareness among the entire DanceSport community in terms of protection and promotion of pure sport and fair competition,” said Antoni Czyżyk, Anti-Doping Education Programme Chair. “Dance Clean is an innovative and effective programme aimed at fighting illegal doping in DanceSport globally. For all of us -- that is, for athletes, coaches, adjudicators and fans -- the Dance Clean programme means respect for your rivals, equality from the start, and the joy of a real win.”

WADA’s mission is to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against doping in sport in all its forms. WADA was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sports movement and national governments.

Its key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code. Through its many different programmes and initiatives, WADA targets above all the athletes, providing them with ethical and technical guidelines to compete free from doping.