PARALYMPIANS ANDREI MESCHERYAKOV AND IRINA MISHUROVA BECAME RUSADA AMBASSADORS

57 athletes from different sport federations were selected as RUSADA Ambassadors.

Paralympic sport is represented by Andrey Mescheryakov, World Champion in Wheelchair Curling and Irina Mishurova, 3 times Bronze medalist of the World Championships, European Champion in Wheelchair Fencing.

The main goals of the RUSADA Ambassadors program are:

1. To involve RUSADA Ambassadors in the planning and development of RUSADA's educational plan;
2. To support and promote athletes' opinions on anti-doping education;
3. Obtaining feedback from athletes and athlete personnel on the implementation of RUSADA's information and education programs;
4. Assist in developing and adapting effective tools to influence athletes and their environment.

Veronica Loginova, RUSADA CEO: "We want to communicate openly with athletes and involve them in the planning and implementation of anti-doping education programs. In fact, athletes know better than anyone all the nuances of their sport, and we hope that the Ambassadors will be able to suggest to RUSADA how to adapt the educational materials better. RUSADA is doing a lot to prevent anti-doping violations and to keep athletes healthy. We know that some representatives of sport community think RUSADA is a closed organization and do not understand how the anti-doping system is organized. We would like to change this attitude and demonstrate our openness and readiness to discuss issues of concern to athletes.

The first meeting of RUSADA's Ambassadors was held on October, 13 via videoconference. During the meeting Valeria Konova, Head of RUSADA's Educational Programs Department, discussed with the Ambassadors the directions of their activities and the work plan for the near future.