Jackson Lee—“Doping fraud is a crime in which big money, state assets, and transnational criminals are involved and honest athletes and companies are defrauded. This practice, some of it state-sanctioned, has the ability to undermine international relations, and is often connected to more nefarious actions by state actors. “This is why I introduced RADA. When enacted into law, the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act will establish criminal penalties for participating in a scheme in commerce to influence a major international sport competition through prohibited substances or methods; provide restitution to victims of such conspiracies; protect whistleblowers from retaliation; and establish coordination and sharing of information with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.”

Today, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget, and a member of the Tom Lantos Commission, released this statement following House passage of the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act:

“I am pleased that H.R. 835, the the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act (RADA) of 2019, has passed the House of Representatives. In the realm of international sports, unscrupulous individuals seeking to bridge the gap between their own skill and the pinnacle of achievement turn to the use of performance enhancing drugs and increasingly sophisticated modes of concealing the use of any proscribed drugs. This practice, some of it state-sanctioned, has the ability to undermine international relations, and is often connected to more nefarious actions by state actors. Doping fraud is a crime in which big money, state assets, and transnational criminals gain advantage and honest athletes and companies are defrauded. Doping fraud in major international competitions—like the Olympics, the World Cup and the Tour de France—is often linked with corruption, bribery and money laundering. It is not just victory that criminals engaged in doping fraud snatch away from clean athletes—athletes depend on prize money and sponsorships to sustain their livelihoods.

“While the United States mandates rigorous testing of its athletes, condonation of international actors running afoul of global anti-doping protocols harms our country and its athlete-citizens. The United States is the single largest sovereign contributor to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and U.S. athletes and companies compete in and sponsor major international competition. Accordingly, the United States has a large role to play in ferreting out corruption in international sports. Not only do U.S. athletes lose out on millions in sponsorships, but when a U.S. company spends millions to create a marketing campaign around an athlete, only to have that athlete later implicated in a doping fraud scandal, the damage to that company’s brand can cost tens of millions.

“This has been the story of Alysia Montaño, a U.S. runner who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics games in London. She placed fifth place in the 800 meters behind two Russian women finishing first and third. These women were later found to have engaged in doping fraud by WADA, which means that Ms. Montaño had rightfully finished third, which would have earned her a bronze medal. Ms. Montaño estimates that doping fraud cost her ‘maybe half a million dollars, if you look at rollovers and bonuses, and that’s without outside sponsorship maybe coming in.’ She adds, ‘That’s not why you’re doing it, but you still deserve it.’ She certainly does. Until now, defrauded U.S. athletes and companies have had little recourse against doping fraud. Therefore, the need to confront doping in sport is important and this legislation makes great strides in mitigating unfairness, cheating and doping in sports.

“This is why I introduced RADA. When enacted into law, the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act will establish criminal penalties for participating in a scheme in commerce to influence a major international sport competition through prohibited substances or methods; provide restitution to victims of such conspiracies; protect whistleblowers from retaliation; and establish coordination and sharing of information with the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Today’s vote is long overdue. This official act is an important pronouncement on the position of the United States Congress on the sinister effects of doping in sports, and a cause I have championed in many Congresses. The legislation I have introduced is bipartisan, and bears the name of a courageous whistleblower, Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, a courageous man who revealed the true extent of the complex state-run doping scheme which permitted Russia to perform as well as it did in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, and which resulted in its ban from the 2018 Olympic Games. While he was complicit in Russia’s past bad acts, Dr. Rodchenkov regrets his past role in Russia’s state-run doping program and seeks to atone for it by aiding the effort to clean up international sports and to curb the corruption rampant in Russia. The RADA is an important step to stemming the tide of Russian corruption in sport and restoring confidence in international competition.”

“Earlier this month, I appeared at the 2019 Play the Game Conference and had an opportunity to speak to the assembled group—which consisted of scientists, officials of sports and journalists—on a conference on sports, society and the sports and political agenda. During this conference, I considered the geopolitics of anti-doping and the extent to which politics appears to surmount blood samples and science to determine the veracity of doping allegations, and the danger that poses. Also discussed was the extent to which athletes who are not vocal about competitive cheating are responsible for policing the sport and how all of these factors present a tangible and dangerous credibility crisis in the world of sports.

“I thank my colleagues in the House for their support of this important legislation and I will continue to advocate for fairness in sports and will not relent until this bill is passed by the Senate and eventually enacted into law.”