Congressman Cohen and the original supporters, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Roger Wicker, as well as representatives Joe Wilson, Richard Hudson, Michael C. Burgess, MD, Sheila Jackson Lee and Tom Malinowski, reiterate that the Olympics must be considered for gold.
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Co-Chair of the European Security and Cooperation Commission, better known as the Helsinki Commission, and original supporters of the Doping Act (GOLD), Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Roger Wicker, Congressmen Joe Wilson, Richard Hudson, Michael C. Burgess, MD, Tom Malinowski and Congressman Sheila Jackson Lee issued a joint statement on the ongoing Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) doping scandal.
The two-party and bicameral supporters are senators and Helsinki commissioners Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Roger Wicker of Mississippi; Congressman and Helsinki Commissioner Joe Wilson of South Carolina; Congressman and Helsinki Commissioner Richard Hudson of North Carolina; and former Helsinki Commissioners Sheila Jackson Lee and Michael C. Burgess, MD, of Texas, and Tom Malinowski of New Jersey.
The GOLD Act works in conjunction with the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, passed at the last Congress, making it a U.S. crime to use doping in international competition around the world. The competition must concern the U.S. economy or financial system or be broadcast in the U.S. Athletes are not the target of a new crime, but the bill targets structural elements such as corrupt administrations, officials, coaches, doctors, etc.
The opinion states:
“The routine use of performance-enhancing drugs by Russian athletes is fraudulent and must have serious consequences. Although punishing individual athletes for doping can be complicated the fact that their coaches and coaches may apply bad practices, someone must be held accountable for this fraud. The authorities who know and corrupt the Russian team have to pay a steep price. We need better enforcement of anti-doping rules to ensure that the Olympics are clean and that athletes can win based on their own abilities and training.
The Doping Control and Dispute Control Act (GOLD) would make doping fraud – anti-Rhodenko’s anti-doping law – possible to prosecute potential charges under U.S. anti-money laundering and anti-controversial criminal laws.
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