Mrs Tessa Chaderton-Shaw has arrived in the Territory to speak to various stakeholders with the purpose being to educate and inform on anti-doping practices and the implications that doping may have on both the athletes' and nation's image when competing on the global stage. Photo: Supplied

RADO is widely believed to have been the first Anti-Doping Agency to have endorsed the penalties handed down to Lance Armstrong for his offenses during the Tour de France. Photo: Supplied

Ephraim Penn heads both the BVIOC and the local Anti Doping Commission which will be ensuring the VI remains compliant with RADO's policies on at least 5 random drug tests per year. Photo: Supplied

The Regional Anti-Doping Organisation was established in 2006 by the National Olympic Committees and government representatives from The Bahamas, Dominica, Montserrat, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, Cayman Islands, St Lucia, Antigua, Suriname, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Barbados and with the assistance of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The Virgin Islands signed on more recently, but is taking its involvement seriously.

A condition of continued good standing is a requirement for at least 5 random tests across all sports per year.

RADO is also believed to be the first anti doping agency to have come out in full support of the decision to strip Cycling’s Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France Titles.

Chaderton- Shaw took over as the regional administrator for RADO back in October 2010 and prior to that she was the manager of the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) in Barbados for 14 years.

During her visit, she will be speaking to various stakeholders within Government, Education and the Sports Federations, with the  purpose being to educate and inform as many people as possible about anti-doping practices in sport and the implications that doping may have on both the athletes' and nation's image when competing on the global stage.

Organised in conjunction with the BVI Olympic Committee and the BVI Anti Doping Commission it is hoped that “Chaderton-Shaw's visit will create a solid foundation to further develop BVI's anti-doping regime with strengthened support and compliance from the community.”

This morning, January 24, 2013 she is scheduled to speak at the BVI Football Association’s Coaching Course, which began on Monday with 30 prospective coaches, including 11 women.

Following that session, she will embark on a courtesy call with the Minister of Education and Culture Hon. Myron V. Walwyn and his Acting Permanent Secretary Dr. Marcia Potter .

Then she will be briefing the BVI Anti-Doping and Medical Commission which Ephraim Penn chairs and includes Cleave Farrington, Mark Chapman, Jamaal Smith, Steve Augustine and Analiese Clausen (doping control officer) at the BVIOC Offices.

The importance of her visit and the message she brings are underlined by further meetings with the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports and then a visit to the Elmore Stoutt High School to meet with Physical Education (PE) teachers, coaches and students. Her first full day concludes with a Presentation to all the National Sports Federations who are members of the Olympic Family.

On Friday January 25, 2013 after a Press briefing, she will be on hand at the Tahesia Harrigan-Scott Classic Development Meet to make presentations to the athletes as well as hand out information. Her visit concludes on Saturday with further presentations at the BVI Volleyball Association’s “Volleyrama”.