World Athletics
Six members have been appointed to the World Athletics Independent Research Ethics Committee (WAIREC). The Committee has been created to support World Athletics’ applied research in sport science and sports medicine.
Chairperson Dennis Hemphill (AUS) is joined by Paola Berchialla (ITA), Olli Heinonen (FIN), Andrea Macaluso (ITA), Paula Radcliffe (GBR) and Marjolaine Viret (SUI) as the inaugural members of the Committee.
WAIREC will provide ethical review of applications for sports science and sports medicine research studies to promote high ethical standards and protect the interests of participants. Researchers will remain responsible for identifying and complying with relevant national and/or local standards, and procedures, that apply to their research.
As an entirely independent body, WAIREC does not represent World Athletics but evaluates research proposals involving human subjects.
“We required our own committee as we run studies on a regular basis, mostly during World Athletics Series events,” said Dr Stéphane Bermon, Director of the World Athletics Health and Science Department.
“It is often difficult to get ethical clearance because we either do not have a connection with universities or academics in the host country, or because the universities we collaborate with have local ethics committees that do not grant approval for research conducted outside that specific university, city, or country setting. The creation of the WAIREC fills a gap which was problematic for us, and also for other sports scientists conducting field research for national or international sports governing bodies.”
World Athletics’ Health and Science Department commissioned Dr John William Devine, Lecturer in Sports Ethics and Integrity at Swansea University, to independently conduct the selection and appointment process of WAIREC members.
The term of appointment is two years, with the potential for reappointment following reapplication.
The inaugural WAIREC members are:
Dr Dennis Hemphill (AUS), Chair
Dr Dennis Hemphill is an ethics and integrity educator, whose focus is on enhancing ethical awareness and decision-making in elite and community sport. He is currently an honorary professor in sport ethics at Victoria University’s Institute for Health and Sport.
Prof. Paola Berchialla (ITA)
Prof. Paola Berchialla is Associate Professor in Biostatistics at the Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences of the University of Turin. Her research focuses on Bayesian statistics, and Machine Learning applied to epidemiology and clinical decision support.
Prof. Olli Heinonen (FIN)
Prof. Olli Heinonen is Professor of Health and Physical Activity and Exercise Physiology at the University of Turku. He is also the Director and Chief Physician at the Paavo Nurmi Centre, and M.D. with the speciality of Sports and Exercise Medicine. He specialises in Sports and Exercise Medicine and Sports Medicine.
Dr Andrea Macaluso (ITA)
Dr Andrea Macaluso is Associate Professor in Human Physiology at the University of Rome Foro Italico. His research focuses on neuromuscular control and adaptation, and the neuromechanics of human movement.
Paula Radcliffe MBE (GBR)
Paula Radcliffe MBE is a multiple world champion on the road and cross country, and the former long-time world marathon record-holder. She is a three-time winner of both the London and New York marathons.
Dr Marjolaine Viret (SUI)
Dr Marjolaine Viret is an attorney at the Geneva bar in Switzerland, specialising in sports and health law, and a researcher at the Sports Sciences Institute of the University of Lausanne.
The research projects that WAIREC will review will be submitted by World Athletics or other national or international sports governing bodies.
Further information on WAIREC can be found here.