By Tom Degun

Andy Parkinson_of_UK_Anti-Doping_agencyMay 24 - UK Anti-Doping chief executive Andy Parkinson has been elected as chair of the Ad hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency (CAHAMA) following the formal elections for the position earlier this month and he will begin his two-year term from November this year.

CAHAMA is the body in which senior officials from European states prepare European positions on political issues to be decided by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) governing bodies, in light of the technical expertise of the Council of Europe's Monitoring Group of the Anti-Doping Convention.

The move means that UK Anti-Doping will now be at the heart of the European Anti-Doping policy development while it reinforces the respect and influence that Parkinson has with the 47 nations that comprise the Council of Europe.

"The UK's vision is that CAHAMA should be the most influential, credible and respected voice of public authorities within the anti-doping movement," said Parkinson, who will replace the current CAHAMA chair Peter de Klerk from the Netherlands.

"The next two years provide an opportunity to enhance further the World Anti-Doping Code and with the collective expertise of European nations, CAHAMA is committed to working with the World Anti-Doping Agency in ensuring that national, continental and global programmes continue to support clean athletes."

CAHAMA is the only pan-European WADA Forum and its geographical scope fits exactly with the European Olympic region.

The organisation's processes allow every European country to have access to information related to the governance of WADA and to play a role in the decision-making processes of the WADA Foundation Board.

CAHAMA also ensures that the expectations of all European countries are represented by European members of the WADA Foundation Board.

The organisation provides candidates to the Foundation Board and the Executive Committee, but also to working committees of WADA.

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