Universal Entertainment Increases Anti-Doping Measures as Step to Lifting of Suspension

At a meeting in Osaka the National Corporate Federation's board of directors put on hold the Universal Entertainment women's team's suspension from competing in ekidens organized by the Federation. Universal Entertainment won last November's National Corporate Women's Ekiden, but when one team member was later found to have committed a doping violation the Federation voted in July to strip the team of its title and suspend it from competition.

As one of the conditions for its suspension to be lifted, on Sept. 15 Universal Entertainment submitted to the Federation plans for the steps it would take to prevent a recurrence of the incident. The Federation will investigate the measures and situation at the team next week, and if the anti-doping measures can be confirmed it will fully lift the suspension. If the suspension is lifted the Universal Entertainment team is expected to compete in the Oct. 21 National Corporate Women's Ekiden Qualifier in Fukuoka. If it finishes in the top 14 there it will qualify for the Nov. 25 national race in Miyagi.

Among the measures Universal Entertainment is introducing as part of having its suspension lifted are comprehensive anti-doping education for team staff and athletes, and increasing female staff with whom team members can feel comfortable talking about women's issues. The team member who committed the doping violation received a one year, three month suspension but left the team in March this year.

source article:
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20180922/k00/00m/050/104000c
translated and edited by Brett Larner