Funding from UNESCO through its Fund for the Elimination of Doping in Sport will ensure that 18 Physical Education (PE) teachers and Coaches will be trained in Tortola, The British Virgin Islands in the rudiments of anti-doping from October 16-17 at Training Division’s Conference Room.

Tessa Chaderton-Shaw, Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO), will be executing the project in collaboration with the Department of Education, the local UNESCO office and the BVI Olympic Committee. Providing the needed support will be local Caribbean RADO Board member and President of the BVIOC, Mr. Ephraim Penn, as well as local and Kittitian-based Facilitators who are experts in the various facets of anti-doping and the doping control process.

The project entitled, “Levelling the Playing Field in the High School Sector” aims to fill a void where there is a dearth of anti-doping education provided to high school students who have the potential to be outstanding athletes, model citizens and ambassadors for the Virgin Islands. It also aims to build the knowledge base of key teaching staff to debunk the prevailing myths and misconceptions about doping. The results of a questionnaire to determine the level of awareness of anti-doping among Physical Education Teachers in June, 2013, will also be disclosed.

The Virgin Islands became a full member of the Caribbean RADO in February, 2012.

For further information, please contact the Ag. Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Jillian Douglas-Phillip, at the Department of Education at telephone: 468-2036/2037 or Mr. Cleave Farrington at the BVIOC at 542-1007.