The representatives of the Women’s World Floorball Championships will receive the Golden Baton of Clean Sport, which has made appearances in international competitions held in Finland, during the opening day of the WFC 2015 on December 4th. Antidoping activity is exceptionally well represented in the Women’s World Floorball Championships: there are two information stands giving out anti-doping information, and the referees have golden shoelaces and Say NO! to Doping wrist bands as a sign of commitment to fair play. In addition all team captains will wear Say NO! to Doping captain bands.
The floorball women received the invitation to the clean sport challenge from the Strongman/Strongwoman World Championships held at Aulanko in August. World Heavy Events Association Chairman Jyrki Rantanen together with Terhi Sievers, the first woman to win the -60kg class Strongwoman World Champion title under doping control, handed the Golden Baton over to Tuulikki Kangasluoma, Chairwoman of the organising committee of the Women’s World Floorball Championships 2015, and Laura Loisa, a national team player.
“As we now hand over the Golden Baton to Women’s World Floorball Championships, I would like to say that Heavy Events Association Finland is proud and honoured to be part of the initiative for the promotion of clean sport and fair play.
A common principle of fair play unites large and small sports associations. We wish the best of success to the Women’s World Floorball Championships today and in the future,” Rantanen says.
“Antidoping work is very important to me. In the news, we often get to read about athletes who are caught using prohibited substances in world championships and Olympics. Our sport, however, is clean and we hope to be able to keep it that way,” says Loisa, a world championship medalist, upon receiving the Golden Baton.
In Tampere, sixteen teams compete for the World Championship title. Both the athletes and the audience are provided with information about clean sport and the effects of doping.
At the information stand of the International Floorball Federation (IFF), team members and support staff have a chance to discuss doping and its effects face-to-face. All teams participating in the World Championships visit the IFF stand and take part in WADA’s doping quiz and sign their names on the Clean Win roll-up poster set up jointly by the World Championships organisation and the Finnish Antidoping Agency FINADA.
“We want to educate the players and, at the same time, gather information on the antidoping education in member associations. This time we are also asking for the players’ opinions on the type of education they need in the future,” says Merita Bruun, Information Manager and Antidoping Administrator at IFF.
At FINADA’s stand, you can vote for the winner of the fair play prize. An award will be presented to the winner of the popular vote. All voters are included in a raffle with a chance to win green Say NO! To Doping floorballs signed by top players. FINADA’s information stand is present on Friday, 11 December from 17 pm to 21:30 p.m. and on Saturday, 12 December from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In the past, world championships in biathlon, ice hockey and men’s floorball, among others, have accepted the Golden Baton of Clean Sport in Finland.
For further information, please contact:
Susanna Sokka
FINADA – Information Manager
Mobile +358 40 740 7477
Internet: www.wfc2015.fi