Australian John Fahey, who took over chairmanship of the World Anti-Doping Agency from Dick Pound, is impressed with the drug-detection systems for the Beijing Olympics. But he's putting the bulk of responsibility on national governments to send clean athletes to the Games.
"The onus isn't on WADA. It isn't even on the Chinese authorities. It's on each of the countries," he said in a BBC interview.
"Testing isn't the only thing. It is just as important to ensure that the investigations are smarter than ever before."
Fahey has work ahead to keep WADA running smoothly. While most sport governing bodies are onside with WADA's anti-doping code, outlining banned substance, practices, and punishments, only 71 of 191 governments have adopted the code and put legal teeth in it.
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There's some fence-mending to be done as well. Fahey's November election was uncontested after Europe's candidate, former French Sports Minister Jean-Francois Lamour dropped out and European delegates talked about getting more powerful within WADA or dropping out and setting up their own anti-doping body.
Slovenian sports minister Milan Zver will talk with Fahey about that today (Friday).
"The European Union pays nearly half of the WADA budget, but has just one vote, or 20 per cent, on the WADA executive and under 30 per cent on the foundation board. This must change," Zver told Reuters.
Zver said the EU wants a shake-up of WADA's rules and statutes, with the 27-member bloc favouring a new rotation system for the election of WADA's top job.
