A Chinese delegation headed by Mr. Jiang Zhixue, Director General of the General Administration of Sport of China, has conducted a seminar focusing on the latest development in anti-doping for about 80 members of the Hong Kong sport community ranging from athletes and coaches to National Sports Associations’ executives.

The Anti-Doping Seminar organized by the Hong Kong Anti-Doping Committee (HKADC), under the auspices of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), had successfully concluded on 7 April 2009 at the Olympic House. The Opening Ceremony was officiated by the Hon. Timothy Fok, GBS, JP, President of SF&OC; Mr. Jiang Zhixue, Director General of the General Administration of Sport of China; and Prof. Frank Fu, JP, Chairman of HKADC. Mr. Du Lijun, Director General of the China Anti-Doping Agency gave his key note lecture in the Seminar.

Since its establishment in September 2008, it was the first Anti-Doping Seminar organized by the HKADC. It was also the first time since the 2008 Beijing Olympics that experts from the General Administration of Sport of China delivered lecture to the Hong Kong sport community. In his address during the Opening Ceremony, Mr. Jiang Zhixue mentioned that after the Chinese government signing the International Convention Against Doping in Sport in 2006, because of the Basic Law, Hong Kong as a Special Administration Regions of China also has the obligation to comply with the Convention and implement its anti-doping programme. At the Opening Ceremony, the Hon. Timothy Fok, GBS, JP, said “anti-doping work of the General Administration of Sport of China, in terms of testing, education and prevention, is beyond the international standard…through this seminar, a foundation would be laid down for the Hong Kong sport community to develop its anti-doping programme”. HKADC aimed at expanding participants’ knowledge on anti-doping issues and promoting the notion of drug free sport through this seminar.

Head of the Chinese delegation, Mr. Jiang Zhixue is the Director General of the General Administration of Sport of China, Deputy Secretary General of the Chinese Olympic Committee and Vice-Chairperson of Conference of the Parties to the International Convention Against Doping in Sport. He has been the spearhead of the doping control programme at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Members of the delegation also included Mr. Du Lijun, Director General of the China Anti-Doping Agency and Miss Yuan Hong, Director of the Office of Science and Education Department of the General Administration of Sport of China.

In addition to the seminar, the Chinese Anti-Doping Delegation will conduct a summit meeting with SF&OC and HKADC representatives on 8 April 2009 to facilitate exchanges and strength cooperation between the two parties concerned.