Osborne, Lorde on Panam sports commissions

President of the Barbados Olympic Association Inc. Sandra Osborne, QC, and board member Dr. Adrian Lorde were recently appointed to commissions of the Mexico-based Panam Sport Organization.

Panam Sports Commissions bring together members of the National Olympic Commissions (NOCs) and professional subject matter experts to develop best practices, advise the Executive Committee and provide valuable insight on all areas of the organization.

It is Osborne’s first time on a Panam Sports Commission.  She is serving on the Legal Commission which has responsibility for modernization and compliance with the Panam Games statutes.  Additionally, it approves the content and fulfillment of all contracts signed by Panam Sports. She said that she was honoured to be appointed to the Commission which gives Barbados increased recognition in continental sports and some influence in the future direction sport takes within the Americas.

Lorde is serving his 26th year on the Medical Commission which gives oversight to all medical and anti-doping aspects before and during the Pan American Games. It also proposes ways to help develop sports medicine and doping control in each of the member countries.  Presently with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Medical Commission has been busy ensuring that protocols are in place for Games and various competitions in the Americas under its control.

As head of the Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (TUEC) of the Medical Commission, Lorde also chairs an independent committee that reviews the requests for use of certain prohibited substances by athletes who require them for legitimate medical conditions. This committee is also consulted by the Results Management Committee whenever an adverse analytic finding (a positive test) is returned to determine if the athlete had previously applied for and issued a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). This TUEC works closely with the World Anti-Doping Agency that reviews all decisions to ensure that they are in accordance with the International Standard for TUEs.

Lorde said that Barbados and the English-speaking Caribbean benefitted by having regional voices on these sporting commissions. He explained that he also acts as the liaison person for the NOCs of the Caribbean region to ensure that all are compliant with the rules and regulations for the Games. “Specifically having a person on the inside helps us to benefit from the experience and expertise of the Medical Commission, and keeps Barbados recognized regionally and internationally and ensures our region  is on the cutting edge of sports medicine and anti-doping,” Lorde said.

The current members of the PANAM Sports Commissions will serve for the period 2021- 2024. (PR)