Are there honest intentions in the fight against doping? The case of Cyprus

Doping and the use of prohibited substances is one of the major issues that sport is facing currently in Cyprus. The fact that an increasing number of athletes tested positive on the island over the last couple of years raised additional concerns and the issue became even more contentious. In this climate of controversy and concern regarding doping and the use of prohibited substances by athletes in Cyprus, the Cyprus Sport Organization took a radical decision in 2008 in which the Cyprus National Anti-Doping Agency, which had been operating for over 20 years as a branch of the Cyprus Sport Organization, would cease to operate by May 2009, giving its position over to the Cyprus National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO), as prescribed by the international anti-doping agencies. The aim of this paper is to examine one basic issue: Are there honest intentions or not in the fight against doping in the case of Cyprus? The cause for this research paper arose from the experiences gathered during the process of the transformation of the Cyprus National Anti-Doping Agency to a National Anti-Doping Organization, and especially from the resistance that evolved from the top sports administrators in the National Sports Federations in Cyprus. What are the true intentions of sports administrators, then? Do they honestly wish to fight doping or not?.