BADC’s Chairman of the Board, Dr. Christa Wells and Doping Control Manager, Mr. Audril Farquharson attend the annual iNADO and WADA Symposiums in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The theme of the 2023 iNADO Annual Workshop was “Women & Anti-Doping: Working Together Towards Excellence”. iNADO proudly chose to focus their 2023 Workshop on women in anti-doping because they feel supporting women helps everyone work together towards excellence in anti-doping. As said by iNADO, “Of iNADO’s 69 member NADOs and RADOs, 30 have women in a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position or similar. This amounts to 43.5 percent, a higher average than in many other industries. However, this does not mean conditions in our community are favorable for gender equality.”
BADC’s attendance and representation at the annual WADA Symposium ensure we stay abreast of new procedures, network with our counterparts amongst other things. This year, “Under the theme ‘United toward a world of doping-free sport’ the Symposium will once again gather anti-doping practitioners from International Federations, National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations and Major Event Organizations; as well as, Athletes, Governments, WADA-accredited laboratories, Athlete Passport Management Units, service providers, researchers, and the media – to help advance the global collaborative mission for doping-free sport. This year’s edition will explore how, together, we can further advance anti-doping for the benefit of athletes worldwide.”
We look forward to implementing all the new information we learned and building on existing and new relationships with our counterparts around the world.
Petra Haven, BADC’s Executive Director, stops by Bahamas @ Sunrise in preparation for the Carfita Games 2023, held in Nassau, The Bahamas on April 7 -10, 2023.
January 25 – 27, 2023
The Honorable Mario Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture and Ms. Petra Haven, Executive Director for the Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission attended the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Second Forum with Ministers Responsible for Sport in the Caribbean in Kingston, Jamaica on January 25 – 27, 2023 along with WADA’s President Witold Banka and WADA’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Maria Jose Pesce.
This forum provided a platform to raise issues, ideas, activities and actions to strengthen anti-doping programs. Some of the focuses were: developing strong legal framework for protecting clean sports, advising the current state of anti-doping in each Caribbean country, delivering educational information to the sport community, implementing effective testing programs, and collaborative efforts between stakeholders.
June 18, 2022
On June 18, 2022, the New Providence Doping Control team hosted a Doping Control training course for new and returning doping control members; with the Northern Bahamas tuning in virtually. BADC always strives to provide an international standard for doping control for our athletes.
June 11-12, 2022
For the first time in two years, due to the global pandemic, WADA held its 16th annual conference in Lausanne, Switzerland on June 11-12, 2022. With this year’s theme ‘Raising The Game’ focusing on how the anti-doping family worldwide can raise the bar for athletes, approximately 600 delegates attended the Symposium in person with more than 200 attending virtually. BADC’s Chairman and Executive Director, Dr. Christa Wells and Ms. Petra Haven, M.S. attended on behalf of The Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission.
As we bid farewell to a giant of a man in the Sports, Anti-Doping and Medical fields, persons pay homage and tribute to the life of Dr. Patrick Roberts. The Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission sends its sympathies and condolences to the family of Dr. Roberts, especially his wife Jodell and daughters Raine and Patricia. We send our love and prayers for healing during this difficult time.
Dr. Roberts was integral in the creation of Anti-Doping in the Bahamas; building the foundation through compiling necessary and relevant information and liaising with members of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). We tip our hats to his dedication to “Clean Sports”. Dr. Roberts and his efforts will forever be remembered in our minds and hearts.
Tribute to Dr. Patrick Roberts
By Jerome Lightbourne, MD
BADC Chairman & CEO
The Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission (BADC) is deeply saddened and mourns the passing of Dr. Patrick Roberts on June 6, 2020. He was one of our own, a colleague and fellow Board Member. He was devoutly religious and assumed the role of Chaplain, opening each and every session with a prayer of hope and guidance.
Dr. Roberts was a longstanding member of the Anti-Doping movement and integral in it’s success in the Bahamas; traveling with many teams internationally and recently serving on the BADC board. He was admired, respected, always pleasant and could fill a room with his presence. Dr. Roberts, may you rest in peace and confidence knowing that you have done your duty and can now live in the glory of God.
Tribute to a True Sportsman
Dr. Patrick “Patti” Roberts
by Roscow A.L. Davies
BADC Board Member
I have had the privilege and pleasure of knowing him and serving the sporting community with him for sixty plus years.
Our first contact was as students at The Government High School on Nassau Court during the 1950’s. Later, while serving as the Chef de Mission for many of the Bahamas Olympic Association’s Olympic, PanAm and Commonwealth Games events around the world, Dr. Roberts served with distinction as the delegation’s doctor.
Recognition must also be given to his service to “Clean Sports” as a member of the Bahamas AntiDoping Commission. Patrick will be remembered for his dedication and personal sacrifices, as he did his best to encourage and support athletes, coaches and other sporting entities to be at their best in pursuit of their goals.
May his soul rest in peace.
A Tribute to my Uncle Pat
by Pauline Davis-Thompson
Bahamian Olympian and Gold Medallist
BADC Board Member
I am very proud of the work that Dr. Roberts has done on behalf of Anti-Doping and Sports for our great Bahama Land. He touched so many of our great Bahamian Athletes lives in a very special way.
Personally, he was my Pediatrician and my Primary Care Doctor but most importantly he was my Uncle Pat. I will miss him.
So thankful that God blessed me with such amazing angel who played a big role in my life, to help me to become who I am.
Take you rest Uncle Pat I love you but Jesus loves you best.
Pauline
Tribute to the late Dr. Patrick Roberts
by Dr. Adrian Lorde
Chairman
National Anti-Doping Commission of Barbados
It is with sadness that I learned of the passing of a friend and colleague Dr. Patrick Roberts. Like myself, he was heavily involved with the Bahamas Olympic Committee as a sports physician, and was one of the pioneers in anti-doping, having served on the Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission at various times. He was well respected internationally in both sports medicine and anti-doping circles.
We had many interesting discussions on various topics and in various locations when we met. Dr. Roberts was always a humble, respectful, thoughtful gentleman, and a humanitarian. The Bahamas has lost a giant in sports medicine and anti-doping.
On behalf of the National Anti-Doping Commission of Barbados, my anti-doping colleagues in the Caribbean and elsewhere, I would like to express to his wife, daughters and other relatives, our condolences at this time. May he rest in peace, and a suitable memorial be placed so that his efforts in the Bahamas be forever remembered.
March 27th, 2019 – April 2nd, 2019
The Bahamas Anti-Doping Commission conducted an educational blast from March 27th to April 2nd, at the High School Basketball Championships in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Mr. Lavaldo Coverley (Doping Control Officer) set up a table, registered athletes for ANti-Doping E-learning platform (ADeL) and handed out BADC paraphernalia.