Friday, February 22, 2002

Henderson trashes agency

By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
 SALT LAKE CITY -- If the International Olympic Committee is one big happy family, then Toronto's Paul Henderson is the wayward son.

 Henderson, an IOC member who ran unsuccessfully for a vice-president spot earlier during the Games, lashed out at the World Anti-Doping Agency yesterday for what he claims are hidden plans to become the Big Brother of anti-doping. Interestingly, WADA is run by fellow Canadian IOC member Dick Pound.

 "They're getting out of control," Henderson said yesterday. "I always felt that their mandate should be, and is supposed to be, to test elite athletes. But it seems as if they want to test anybody at any time.

 "It's like if you have a cold and you go to the drug store. Well, 80% of cold medication contains banned substances, so you take something and you're out on the golf course and next thing you know you're being tested. That's getting carried away," he said.

 WADA officials deny that they are aiming to become drug testers for every level of sport, from the recreational softball player to World Cup soccer stars.

 Henderson, a retired Toronto businessman, also feels that the IOC has become too big and too self-important.

 "I come from an athlete's perspective," the former Olympic team sailor said. "I believe the Olympics should be about the athletes coming together every two years and about the sports federations. Not about the IOC. The IOC is not a government or a corporation."

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2002 Games News Coverage