The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce that its long-standing funding agreement with the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) has been renewed for another year will provide additional funding of up to JPY 27,997,742 (approximately USD 196,000) to support anti-doping capacity and capability development in Asia and Oceania This amount is additional to the Government of Japan’s annual contribution to WADA of over USD 1.5 million said: “WADA is appreciative of the continued support of our Japanese partners The additional funding will make a demonstrable impact on the development of Anti-Doping Organizations in Asia and Oceania; in particular as it will support in-person Global Learning and Development Framework sessions in the region WADA expresses its gratitude to the Japanese Government for this additional funding.”   In total, JADA and the Japanese Government have contributed an additional USD 2.5 million over the past two decades to support WADA’s efforts throughout the region. The renewed agreement will once again support WADA’s Global Learning and Development Framework (GLDF) training and National and Regional Anti-Doping Organization development the additional amount will fund GLDF trainings on Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) in Indonesia in July 2025 and Education in Japan in January 2026 It will also fund anti-doping development for specific National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations in Asia and Oceania said: “JADA is happy to continue its agreement with WADA and is enthusiastic about the opportunities to continue to develop clean sport expertise in Asia and Oceania in the months and years to come We would like to once again extend our gratitude to the Japanese Government for providing the funds for this project The development of practitioners and organizations is of vital importance to creating a level playing field for athletes worldwide JADA believes firmly in the power of collaboration and we will continue to work diligently to unite the anti-doping community around the world.”  WADA’s core funding is sourced from the Olympic Movement and Governments of the world Governments’ annual contributions are calculated through a regional split which was agreed upon by public authorities shortly after the creation of WADA in 1999 The Olympic Movement matches Governments’ contributions up to fifty percent of WADA’s annual budget These regular annual contributions are complemented by additional contributions from WADA’s stakeholders and by projects or partnerships with other organizations May 5 2025: This story has been updated to reflect Jannik Sinner’s return from his anti-doping ban at the Italian Open in Rome It also announced that an independent hearing, convened by the ITIA, had found Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” for those positive tests accepting his explanation that he had been contaminated by a healing spray purchased by his physio used the spray on a cut on his hand and then subsequently gave Sinner a massage on his back and applied treatments to his feet Sinner parted company with Ferrara and Naldi, part of the team that took him to world No. 1, on the eve of the U.S. Open, which Sinner won against Taylor Fritz Just over a month after the ITIA decision, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that it would appeal the “no fault or negligence” ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which sits above the ITIA as the worldwide authority in sports doping is seeking “a period of ineligibility of between one and two years,” in which the two-time Grand Slam champion would be banned from playing tennis CAS confirmed its receipt of WADA’s appeal Then, over three months later CAS set April 16 and 17 2025 as the date for the WADA appeal into Sinner’s case That appeal was never heard. Sinner and WADA entered into a case resolution agreement, in which he received a three-month ban meaning that he did not miss any of the four Grand Slam tournaments before returning to competitive tennis at his home event: the Italian Open 1 Jannik Sinner penalized after twice testing positive for banned substance 1 has been drawn in the top half of the Italian Open His opponent will be Mariano Navone of Argentina or another Italian Speaking at the Foro Italico in Rome ahead of the Italian Open Sinner said that he was not scared of returning to competitive tennis but that he would use the event to test his level He explained that he “did not want” to accept the case resolution agreement from WADA because he “knew what really happened,” but accepted that doing so negated the possibility of a worse outcome at any CAS hearing WADA confirmed that Sinner would be banned from tennis for three months the morning of Saturday Feb “Under the Code and by virtue of CAS precedent an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence,” it said deeming a three-month suspension applicable to the “unique set of facts in this case.” Sinner had entered the ATP 500 tournament in Doha as well as the Sunshine Double: the two prestigious ATP Masters 1,000 events in Indian Wells He then missed two more ATP 1,000s — the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open — as well as the 500-level Bavarian Open Sinner already lost his ranking points from last year’s Indian Wells event as part of tennis anti-doping authorities’ initial sanction for his two positive tests which he won in 2024; 400 from Monte Carlo and 200 from Madrid where he reached the semifinals and quarterfinals respectively He also dropped 500 points from not defending his title in Rotterdam in February — but the decision to skip that event was not connected to his doping case His ranking points have dropped from 11,830 to 9,730 but nearest rivals Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev have not fully capitalized on his absence Despite needing 2,500 points over the course of three months to overtake Sinner who only had 900 points to defend in that time is 1,645 points behind Sinner as the Italian Open begins so he needs to win it again just to maintain that gap will gain points for every match that he wins in the Italian capital who was defending 1,000 points at Indian Wells Despite winning the Monte Carlo Masters and reaching the final of the Barcelona Open he also remains behind Sinner in the world rankings A case resolution agreement is part of the WADA World Anti-Doping Code and can only be considered if an athlete admits to an anti-doping rule violation or violations allows for cases to be completed if the athlete accepts “Consequences” acceptable to the anti-doping authority (in this case the ITIA) and to WADA for the violations admitted The athlete does not have any say in what constitutes those consequences but they are agreed between the athlete and the doping authorities A WADA spokesperson said: “This provision 10.8.2 was introduced to the Code in 2021 Since then it has been used dozens of times for cases with exceptional circumstances such as this one it is not used that often and is the exception rather than the rule but there has been plenty of precedent for this Ultimately in this case three months represents a fair outcome under the specific circumstances.” The spokesperson described the exceptional circumstances as the “full body of facts and evidence” in Sinner’s case Both of Sinner’s positive tests came in March 2024 The first was an in-competition test on March 10 at the BNP Paribas Open held in Indian Wells The second was an out-of-competition test on March 18 It is best known for its role in East Germany’s state-sponsored doping programs of the 1970s and 1980s It shortens recovery times following intense workouts and allows for the expedited production of muscle mass Its potential legitimate uses have included treating muscle-wasting disease and osteoporosis It’s also an ingredient in certain healing creams and sprays that are readily available in Italy Sinner’s test samples contained 86 picograms/litre on 10 March when adjusted for the application of a normal specific gravity “Even if the administration had been intentional the minute amounts likely to have been administered would not have had any relevant doping effect upon the player,” said Professor David Cowan a member of the ITIA tribunal for its final ruling on the case The ITIA charged Sinner with violating Article 2.1 and Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) Those articles govern “the presence of a prohibited substance or any of its metabolites or markers in a player’s sample,” and “use or attempted use by a player of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method.” Both Articles are subject to Article 2.1.1 which states that it is “each player’s personal duty to ensure that no prohibited substance enters their body.” had brought an over-the-counter healing spray containing clostebol to Indian Wells (under the brand name Trofodermin the spray is available over the counter in Italy) cut his hand and then used the spray on that cut which led to transdermal contamination with the clostebol from the healing spray Jannik Sinner built the team that made him world No The ITIA’s investigation concluded with an independent panel the panel ruled that Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” for the two violations of the (TADP) but nevertheless found him to have committed the two violations The tribunal accepted Sinner’s version of events as outlined above and ruled that he should not be banned but should lose his prize money results and ranking points from Indian Wells That phrase is part of the ITIA’s framework for assessing and prosecuting anti-doping violations and comes into consideration when a player has successfully shown that they did not intentionally dope The usual sanction for Sinner’s violations That drops to two years when a player can prove they did not intentionally dope “No fault or negligence” governs the possibility of reducing that two-year ban further The TADP requires that a player “did not know or suspect and could not reasonably have known or suspected even with the exercise of utmost caution that they had used or been administered the prohibited substance.” One level below this is “no significant fault or negligence,” which requires the player “establishing that their fault or negligence when viewed in totality of the circumstances and taking into account the criteria for no fault or negligence was not significant in relation to the anti-doping rule violation.” This is significant because the distinction is at the center of WADA’s appeal against the initial ruling in Sinner’s case As soon as athletes test positive for a performance-enhancing drug that fits the criteria of what that anti-doping world refers to as an “adverse analytical finding,” they are subject to a provisional suspension while an investigation takes place Sinner received a provisional suspension following each positive test for clostebol athletes have the right to appeal these provisional suspensions Separate tribunals convened by the ITIA heard those appeals quickly and in each case accepted his explanation which he was able to back up with testimony from his support team and receipts showing that his trainer had purchased the healing spray with clostebol in it Those decisions allowed Sinner to keep playing while authorities pursued a full investigation ITIA rules allow for the test results and the investigation to remain confidential until the final hearing adjudication Sinner answered numerous questions about the positive tests and the process he has been through He has replaced his trainer and physiotherapist He spoke openly about how the case weighed on him the past six months and the relief the end of the process brought After WADA announced that it was appealing the ruling to CAS “I am disappointed to hear that WADA have chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed me to be innocent “Over the past few months and throughout this process there have been three separate hearings in each case confirming my innocence Several months of interviews and investigations culminated in three senior judges scrutinizing every detail through a formal hearing They issued an in-depth judgement explaining why they determined me not at fault with clear evidence provided and my cooperation throughout both the ITIA and the Italian anti-doping authority accepted it and waived their rights to appeal I understand these things need to be thoroughly investigated to maintain the integrity of the sport we all love it is difficult to see what will be gained by asking a different set of three judges to look at the same facts and documentation all over again I will cooperate fully with the appeal process and provide whatever may be needed to prove my innocence once again.” Speaking at the 2025 Australian Open just before CAS confirmed the date for the appeal hearing — at which point Sinner did not know when it would be — he admitted that waiting to know when the appeal would happen had weighed on him “I would lie if I would tell you I forget,” he said said Sinner should have automatically been banned for two years It can take months for players to have their appeals on their provisional suspensions heard Sinner’s appeals were heard and adjudicated within weeks so quickly that he didn’t have to miss any tournaments “Different rules for different players,” Denis Shapovalov tweeted after news of the positive tests broke Shapovalov later told the website Tennis Majors that his comment wasn’t directed at Sinner but at an anti-doping process that has not given other players the same benefit of the doubt and quick attention that players saw the ITIA granting to Sinner who was charged with an anti-doping violation later shown to be caused by contamination that took far longer to wind its way through this is not right,” Broady wrote on social media “Plenty of players go through the same thing and have to wait months or years for their innocence to be declared The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) labelled the ITIA’s processes as “broken” in a letter sent to the body as well as the ATP and WTA Tours and four Grand Slams The ITIA said that “it is currently our belief that ITIA investigators work according to the rules Tennis player association led by Novak Djokovic calls anti-doping processes 'broken' in letter The ITIA and Sinner’s team have said that Sinner’s case was heard quickly because everyone knew immediately the source of the clostebol contamination and had the ability to back up their statements with the necessary hard evidence could mobilize more effective legal resources more quickly than another player in this situation is not in doubt but the process by which he did so does not fall outside of normal ITIA protocol In its quarterly report into anti-doping and anti-corruption processes released October 17 2024, the ITIA said that “the case management process for anti-doping cases is complex and we appreciate that it can be confusing to understand the differences in outcome or perceived inconsistencies in the process irrespective of the profile of the player involved The way a case unfolds is determined by its unique circumstances WADA sees things differently to the independent tribunal that settled on a verdict of “no fault or negligence” for the two violations “It is WADA’s view that the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules,” it said in a statement on Saturday the organization is pushing for a ban of one or two years — though not a disqualification of any results beyond Indian Wells as per the original verdict accepts that Sinner did not intentionally dope A one or two-year ban would result in a change in the final ruling from “no fault or negligence” to “no significant fault or negligence,” as outlined above This summer saw a bitter dispute between the U.S. and China over allegations surrounding doping by Chinese swimmers before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and suggestions from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that WADA had not been strong enough in enforcing its rules but it would be understandable if the organization wished to show itself to be weighing in on Sinner’s case WADA retains the right to appeal any judgement by any anti-doping authority across the globe What is the WADA appeal of Jannik Sinner's doping case really about He will not be able to compete in a professional tennis event for up to two years depriving him of the chance to earn millions of dollars in prize money A suspension would likely do significant damage to his reputation so he would have time to prosper after the suspension but it’s hard to overestimate the damage that missing two prime years of his career would exact this has not been a great look for tennis — the world’s best male player being under investigation for doping offences There will be some who follow tennis who will lose trust in what they are seeing there will be many who won’t feel this is such a big deal given there’s no real suggestion that the amount of clostebol Sinner had in his system would have given him much of a competitive advantage But the longer it drags on the more damage it will do to tennis with everyone wanting a swift resolution to end all talks of asterisks and relitigation in which Sinner is banned but during a period of the tennis calendar that does little harm to his fortunes at the top of the sport will only reopen wounds of players who feel there are disparities in treatment even though the process is in accordance with anti-doping regulations (Top photo: Tim Clayton / Corbis via Getty Images) asserting that China has compromised the organization's independence and credibility Bipartisan coalitions in both houses say WADA must choose: commit to greater transparency or say goodbye to U.S The clash started last year when media reports revealed that 23 Chinese swimmers went unpunished after testing positive for a banned substance in 2021 Eleven of the swimmers went on to compete in the 2021 Olympic Games WADA accepted Chinese athletic authorities' explanation that the swimmers ate tainted food and did not report the incident -- even to its own executive board members Anti-Doping Agency say WADA's actions reflect undue influence by China demand that WADA submit to an audit before $3.6 million in annual U.S The Biden administration had suspended payments in January Differences between the two sides have never escalated to this level before The Olympic sports world's entire anti-doping system is based on WADA's authority which means that any nation wanting to compete in an Olympic sport must agree to its code A permanent split between WADA and the United States could create chaos but members of Congress seem determined to force the issue: If WADA can't be trusted to enforce its code fairly then a split might be the better alternative The International Olympic Committee inserted stipulations in the 2034 Salt Lake City Olympics contract requiring host countries to respect "the supreme authority" of WADA on doping matters but authorities involved in the 2034 planning discount that possibility One senator has called for rallying like-minded nations to withdraw from WADA altogether has not moved to restore funding but also has not stated a position about the Capitol Hill effort Both WADA and Trump administration officials told ESPN they have started introductory communications but did not provide specifics WADA officials insist the agency has done nothing wrong One top official labeled allegations of collusion with China as "conspiracy theories." There is no obvious solution in sight "I can't imagine it's lost on [WADA] that this is a truly bipartisan effort No opposition to the legislation has surfaced in either house insisting it had followed procedures and acted properly refused a Biden administration demand that the agency agree to an audit That prompted the unprecedented halt in U.S dues payments -- the largest of any nation and constituting 15% of WADA's budget WADA says it considers the case closed and that it had no basis to punish the swimmers "China got special favoritism under the rules for their athletes and nothing happened That's the problem that we're trying to get accountability and transparency on," Travis Tygart And the answers to date have only raised more questions." Sen told ESPN that WADA "has squandered and shredded its credibility and trust." The bill he is co-sponsoring would seat on WADA's executive committee and any other relevant governing committee is the focus of a push in Congress for a crackdown on Chinese influence in doping enforcment. MARC BRAIBANT/AFP via Getty ImagesA WADA spokesperson told ESPN that annual governmental contributions "are not conditional" and that agreeing to U.S stipulations would constitute a "breach of WADA's own rules." "They choose to ignore what China has done That is just so egregious," Blackburn told ESPN "It's like an agency that has not only lost its footing Because now they have proven they can be bought." "It's hard to believe that 23 Chinese swimmers ate something in a cafeteria at a hotel and it caused them to have some heart enhancing medicine in their blood system when it's a known fact that it washes out of your system quickly," said Sen The House and Senate bills would not significantly change existing law regarding White House authority to withhold dues payments draw attention through congressional hearings and send a message of bipartisan congressional resolve to WADA and the IOC we want to ensure a level playing field for these historic games which would also include banning men in women's sports," a White House official told ESPN in a statement WADA President Witold Banka recently told reporters he wants to work with the government and U.S But the feud with USADA's Tygart continues to simmer "It's hard to have reasonable collaboration with someone who still believes .. that there was a coverup from [the] WADA side," Banka said Tygart [stops believing] conspiracy theories it's going to be hard to work collaboratively with USADA." WADA President Witold Banka acknowledges the tensions with the agency's U.S counterpart but says he seeks greater cooperation. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty ImagesRahul Gupta who was director of National Drug Control Policy under Biden The WADA spokesperson said the absence of U.S "will have some impact on WADA's operations." officials have also raised concerns that China has given about $2 million above its normal WADA contribution in recent years as The Associated Press reported last year "All this was done in total transparency," WADA director general Olivier Niggli stated at the time "I have absolutely no problem with the relationship we have with China." "I think the [Chinese government] has way too much sway with WADA I think a lot of their athletes are doping and they want to have control over the agency that would otherwise police them," said Rep Asked what confidence he had of reaching an acceptable agreement with WADA's current leaders And I say that having worked with them almost four years I do think that a change in leadership is probably going to be necessary." WADA filed a defamation lawsuit against Tygart and USADA over statements about the Chinese swimmers scandal It also filed an ethics complaint against Gupta accusing him of having a conflict of interest because of a U.S federal investigation into the swimming scandal Senate and House sponsors say they hope to begin hearings within the next two months WADA did not send a representative to testify in June hearings about the Chinese swimmers Tygart said he hopes recently elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry helps pressure WADA to be more transparent in its governance ROME — Jannik Sinner said that he did not want to accept the deal that led to his three-month anti-doping ban but did so in order to avoid the uncertain verdict of a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) “I didn’t want to do it in the beginning, so it was not easy for me to accept it because I knew what really happened,” Sinner said May 5 in his first news conference since his legal team reached the case resolution agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in February “Sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment.” couldn’t talk with many people about what happened … At the beginning of the Australian Open I struggled a lot,” Sinner added He could not have returned to a more friendly atmosphere Italian journalists applauded him as he entered the news conference room begging for an autograph and a photo as he walked outside the main stadium Sinner said he was happy to have spent time with his family and his friends but added that he is thrilled to be back doing the job he loves Accepting the ban turned him into something of a pariah in ways he did not expect “Watching a simple football match in a stadium Sinner said he has very low expectations for his level of play in Rome — that he is using the tournament as a testing ground for where his tennis is and for what he needs to do to raise it to the level that has made him the top player in the world “That’s going to come down slowly with the time off playing,” he said I’m going to have a good picture of myself where I am at.” Sinner spoke less than an hour after arriving at the grounds He said he had had little chance to interact with other players some of whom have been critical of anti-doping officials for allowing him not to receive any suspension and then “It’s a very strange feeling again in the beginning to be around with so many people and attention as his body gets prepared to adjust to competition His hands became blistered when he began to play Only once the Madrid Open started did he begin to pay attention again He said he didn’t care so much about holding the No more interested in his performance this season and where he will end up at the end of the year “It gives you a bigger picture of how players play in that moment,” he said he remains fourth on that table with 2,000 points Sinner accepted a three-month ban for two anti-doping violations relating to his testing positive for trace amounts of clostebol A tribunal convened by tennis anti-doping authorities accepted his explanation that the clostebol ended up in his system after his physiotherapist used a first-aid cream containing the substance on a cut finger and then gave Sinner massages through which he contaminated the player It ruled that Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” for the two positive tests as well as finding that he did not intentionally dope and did not impose any ban on the Italian because it believed that Sinner should bear responsibility for having an illegal substance in his system even though it agreed that he did not intentionally dope Sinner received a rare offer from WADA to accept a ban that was lower than the proscribed penalty Sinner’s representatives reached the deal just after he won the year’s first Grand Slam The timing of it allowed him to serve his penalty without missing a Grand Slam and to return to competition in time for his country’s biggest tennis event which is the main tuneup for late May and early June’s French Open Sinner’s ban for two anti-doping rule violations ran from Feb He missed six events that he would have been expected to compete in: the Qatar Open; the Sunshine Double of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and Miami Open; the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open and one of the Barcelona Open and the Munich Open have been unable to make meaningful inroads in Sinner’s lead at the top of the world rankings the day after the start of the Italian’s ban but Zverev is the defending champion at the Italian Open so has to win the tournament again just to maintain that gap so any match that he wins will add to his points tally (Photo: Tiziana Fabi / AFP via Getty Images) The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that it has entered into a case resolution agreement in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner with the player accepting a three-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation that led to him testing positive for clostebol WADA lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Mr who had been found by an Independent Tribunal to bear no fault or negligence Notwithstanding this appeal, the circumstances surrounding this specific case meant that in order to ensure a fair and appropriate outcome, WADA was prepared to enter into a settlement agreement, in accordance with Article 10.8.2 of the World Anti-Doping Code WADA did not seek a disqualification of any results save that which was previously imposed by the tribunal of first instance The International Tennis Federation and International Tennis Integrity Agency neither of which appealed the first-instance decision both accepted the case resolution agreement Sinner will serve his period of ineligibility from 9 February 2025 to 11:59 pm on 4 May 2025 (which includes a credit for four days previously served by the athlete while he was under a provisional suspension) Sinner may return to official training activity from 13 April 2025 WADA has formally withdrawn its appeal to CAS Further to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) release of 25 February WADA wishes to remind the global anti-doping community that Play True Day 2025 will be celebrated on 11 April 2025 and invites everyone to take part in the digital campaign aimed at raising awareness about the importance of clean sport ‘Play True: It Starts with You‘ highlights the individual responsibility of athletes and all stakeholders in protecting the integrity of sport Play True Day has evolved from a small initiative into a global movement that reaches millions each year the campaign achieved a potential social media reach(1) of over 199 million around the globe; and generated 259,200 social media engagements(2) WADA President Witold Bańka said: "Play True Day is an opportunity for the entire sporting community to unite and reaffirm our commitment to clean sport This year's theme ‘Play True: It Starts with You‘ emphasizes that safeguarding the integrity of sport begins with each of us making the right choices I particularly encourage athletes and all fitness enthusiasts to join us as of 11 March for the first edition of our #PlayTrueChallenge a fitness-based challenge that calls attention to the effort and dedication of athletes and the importance of fair play.​" National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations Major Event Organizers and other anti-doping stakeholders from around the world to pledge your support for the campaign theme ‘Play True: It Starts with You’ To facilitate your involvement, we created a comprehensive toolkit that will guide you through the different elements of this year’s Play True Day campaign. You can download the Play True Day Toolkit here Like previous years, to engage as many stakeholders as possible, WADA has created branded visuals (available in English, French and Spanish) for participants to incorporate and share their own #PlayTrueDay photos and videos. All assets are available to download here A 30-second fitness-based challenge that calls attention to the effort and dedication of athletes and the importance of fair play. Please refer to our toolkit for details of the #PlayTrueChallenge More will also be communicated in the coming weeks Call to Action for Anti-Doping Organizations let's make Play True Day 2025 a success by uniting our efforts and recognizing that the commitment to clean sport starts with each of us (1) The potential audience for a single mention or a group of mentions(2) Total likes retweets and comments and such interactions on a social media post The List is one of the eight International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) It designates what substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition and which substances are banned in particular sports As outlined in the 2025 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes the major modifications for 2025 include the following:    The HMR Committee then makes its recommendations to WADA’s ExCo which approves the List during its September meeting For a substance or method to be added to the List it must be determined that it meets at least two of the following three criteria:  The List is released three months ahead of it taking effect so that athletes and other stakeholders can acquaint themselves with any modifications athletes are responsible for prohibited substances found in their body and prohibited methods found to have been used Members of an athlete’s entourage are also liable for Anti-Doping Rule Violations if determined to be complicit if there is any doubt as to the status of a substance or method it is important that they contact their respective Anti-Doping Organizations (International Federation or National Anti-Doping Organization) for advice The TUE Program is a rigorous and necessary part of elite sport and has overwhelming acceptance from athletes In addition to the documents linked above, WADA has provided educational resources as part of its Code Implementation Support Program (CISP), which can be accessed through the links below and on the Agency’s Anti-Doping Education and Learning Platform (ADEL) the 2025 Summary of Modifications and Explanatory Notes and the 2025 Monitoring Program are available for download on WADA’s website in English Stakeholders wishing to translate the List into other languages are kindly asked to signal their interest to code@wada-ama.org WADA will then provide the necessary files and will make the translated List available on the Agency’s website The List’s mobile-friendly digital edition is now available members of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) leadership team were in Montego Bay Jamaica for the 25th General Assembly of the Americas Sports Council (CADE) to meet with stakeholders from the Americas region and reemphasize the important role of Governments in protecting clean sport The annual General Assembly of CADE brings together Sports Ministers and other Government representatives from the Americas region with anti-doping featuring as a key talking point throughout the meeting the Director of WADA’s Latin America and Caribbean office delivered a presentation outlining WADA's priorities He emphasized how robust governmental support can positively influence WADA’s initiatives across various departments León said: “We are pleased with the collaborative nature of the discussions that took place during this year’s CADE General Assembly WADA appreciates the opportunity to attend this meeting each year to highlight our work and the role of the global anti-doping system in safeguarding the integrity of sport in the Americas and around the world Our focus remains solely on the protection of clean sport We are continuously working to achieve this by supporting the development of robust anti-doping programs implementing strong values-based education and prioritizing the athletes’ voices in our decision-making governance bodies this can only be achieved with the continued support of the Governments of the world – not only through their annual contributions to WADA but also through investment in their National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations We thank the governments of the Americas for their strong and ongoing support as we lead a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport.”  León also presented to the Extraordinary Assembly of the South American Sports Council (CONSUDE) and the General Assembly Central American and Caribbean Council of Sport (CONCECADE) to engage stakeholders from Central and South America on regional issues and initiatives León reaffirmed WADA’s position regarding the proposed Enhanced Games which would actively encourage participants to use substances and methods that are normally prohibited He said: “The Enhanced Games pose a significant threat to the integrity of sport and the health of athletes who are considering taking part The values and beauty of sport are based on the ideal of clean and fair competition This reckless initiative is an attack on clean sport and it sends the wrong message to young people around the world who count elite athletes among their role models I urge our partners throughout the Americas to join WADA in taking a firm public stance against this irresponsible and dangerous event.”   The WADA delegation also met with various sports ministers and Government representatives from the region in order to exchange views and offer guidance on national anti-doping matters said: “Governments have a critical part to play in ensuring the success and harmonization of Anti-Doping Organizations around the world WADA continues to actively engage country leaders sport ministers and government officials from around the world to ensure they are kept abreast of WADA’s strategic priorities and ongoing projects we reiterated the important role of Governments within the framework of the World Anti-Doping Code and the UNESCO Convention and took time to listen to the ideas and opinions of those we engaged with over the course of the assembly.”  Mullaly were joined in Jamaica by colleagues Karine Henrie Both directors were on hand to outline their areas of expertise and discuss relevant regional matters with CADE attendees Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) opened its 2025 Annual Symposium in Lausanne Switzerland – a two-day event convening nearly 1,000 delegates from the global anti-doping community under the theme “Going Further Together” WADA President Witold Bańka’s keynote address kicked off the two-day event by calling for continued collaboration among members of the anti-doping community a testament to an exceptional alliance between the sport movement and governments of the world the anti-doping community has been significantly reinforced by the addition of many more dedicated partners from around the globe It is the ongoing cooperation among individuals and organizations that share the same vision of a world where all athletes can participate in doping-free sport.”   “The cases sparked an essential discussion about how we can better manage contamination laboratories can detect smaller and smaller quantities of substances we are seeing those who test positive putting forward contamination defenses for tribunals adjudicating these cases is to distinguish between cases of genuine contamination and cases of well-resourced cheats who fabricate a contamination defense WADA is asking its Code Revision Team to reflect on this and consider the need for regulatory improvements – always with the goal of ensuring harmonization for athletes and Anti-Doping Organizations which is at the core of WADA’s global collaborative movement for doping-free sport.”   Bańka shifted gears to the antithesis of doping-free sport the so-called Enhanced Games – a concept that promotes the abuse of prohibited substances and methods WADA condemns the Enhanced Games as a dangerous and irresponsible project The health and well-being of athletes is WADA’s number one priority all Governments and all our clean sport partners to join us in condemning the Enhanced Games that organizers have suggested will be held in the United States.”  This year’s Annual Symposium was structured around WADA’s 2025-2029 Strategic Plan. The program features 15 informative and interactive sessions which cover a wide range of anti-doping topics Delegates are encouraged to actively participate during a number of sessions namely with regards to amplifying the athlete voice; the issue of contamination; engaging with younger athlete audiences through strategic awareness campaigns; and generating new ideas together to respond to key challenges of the global anti-doping system The Annual Symposium brings together anti-doping practitioners from International Federations National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations and Major Event Organizations Please find below images from the Symposium These are rights-free for editorial purposes with the appropriate credit (WADA) Deadline to submit contributions: 23 June 2025  The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to launch a Call for Contributions for its Unintentional Doping Research Project WADA's Taskforce on Unintentional Doping invites everyone and policymakers to share their personal experiences and examples of emerging practices regarding unintentional doping Our aim is to better understand the causes and consequences of unintentional doping so we can develop preventative strategies for athletes athlete support personnel and anti-doping organizations Unintentional doping occurs when an athlete or athlete support personnel unknowingly breaks an anti-doping rule These cases can have wide-ranging and at times life-changing consequences Unintentional doping is particularly distressing for athletes and their support personnel/entourage The goal of the Call for Contributions is to get a deeper understanding of the nature of unintentional doping, which involves determining the scale of the problem and understanding the scenarios that could lead to unintentional doping. For more details, please visit the Unintentional Doping page on our website said: “Unintentional doping is a complex behavioral problem means it cannot be resolved by any one organization or in isolation This is why engaging the whole community on this issue is so important It was encouraging to see the importance of the work of the Taskforce highlighted at WADA’s Annual Symposium as well as the common theme of collaboration which will be crucial for addressing this issue The Call for Contributions is a key component of the Taskforce’s commitment to developing a better understanding of unintentional doping and ultimately shared: “WADA is pleased to announce the next steps of this crucial social science research project This Call for Contributions underlines WADA’s commitment to seek input from athletes and the wider anti-doping community to help inform the work we do Our goal is simple—we aim to reduce the incidence of unintentional doping in order to better protect clean athletes I encourage everyone who has experience with or constructive thoughts about unintentional doping to contribute to this research project to better inform the work of this Taskforce WADA wishes to thank the Fonds de recherche du Québec for supporting the social science research that is fundamental to anti-doping efforts and making this project a reality.”  To participate in the Call for Contributions please fill in the form by clicking on the link below English French Spanish Arabic Chinese  Russian These contributions will support the goal of the Taskforce in proposing an evidence-informed approach to the prevention of unintentional doping Those making submissions can also provide their contact information should they be willing to contribute further to the Unintentional Doping Research Project About the Taskforce on Unintentional Doping   The work of the Taskforce is part of a multi-pronged approach to the matter of unintentional doping As it relates to contamination specifically:  The three Groups will work together in a coordinated and complementary fashion This week, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Executive Committee (ExCo) and Foundation Board (Board) met in Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where members discussed and took decisions on several matters that are key to strengthening the global anti-doping system WADA President Witold Bańka said: “Over the past two days in Riyadh we had excellent discussions at the Executive Committee and Foundation Board levels focused on mapping the way forward for WADA and the global anti-doping system We are very grateful to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its hospitality in hosting these meetings of WADA's most important governing bodies and to the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Control Committee for championing the clean sport agenda throughout this region we were pleased that the Foundation Board echoed the support of the Executive Committee regarding the recommendations of the Working Group set up to implement the observations of the Cottier Report They also encouraged WADA to continue its leadership of the global movement for doping-free sport which relies on collaboration among partners and harmonization of anti-doping rules across all sports and all countries I urge us all to work in a positive spirit towards WADA’s World Conference on Doping in Sport in Busan Together we can ensure that the global anti-doping system goes further to protect athletes’ fundamental right to participate in doping-free sport.”  The Board approved WADA’s latest Strategic Plan (2025-2029) under the theme ‘Going further together’ following a 16-month stakeholder consultation process to ensure the development of a common understanding of the progress made to date and decide which priorities to target for the next five years The Plan sets a clear direction for the Agency so it can deliver on its primary role of developing and coordinating anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries It is an evolution of the 2020-2024 version that builds on recent achievements while also recognizing the challenges faced since 2020 We were extremely pleased to have been consulted throughout the process that has allowed us to align our Action Plan’s goals to those of WADA.”   2027 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards Update Process  The ExCo and Board were updated regarding WADA’s 2027 World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and International Standards Update Process which launched in September 2023 and will culminate with approval of the updated documents at WADA’s World Conference and entry into force on 1 January 2027 Commenting on the Strategic Plan and the Code and Standards Update Process said: “Both of these matters are extremely important – not only for shaping the future of WADA but for ensuring the ongoing success of the entire anti-doping system which represents a bold vision for the future is built off the solid foundation of our previous Plan and involves program consolidation as we focus on ways to innovate and increase efficiencies across the board The 2027 Code and Standards are also being built off a solid foundation I would encourage all of us to concentrate our efforts on delivering on these important forward-looking activities that will lead to a more effective efficient and harmonized fight against doping in sport for the next generations of athletes that are counting on us.”  The Board approved two versions of the 2025 WADA Budget. The first version is the full budget that was endorsed by the Finance and Adminstration (F&A) Committee in June and includes the 2025 contribution from the Government of the Russian Federation Recognizing that WADA did not receive its contribution in 2023 the second version excludes the 2025 Russian contribution The first version of the budget is USD 57.5 million from all sources of funding while the amount without the Russian dues will be USD 54.7 million (USD 1.4 million from Russia combined with the match payment that comes from the Sport Movement leading to a potential shortfall of USD 2.8 million) WADA Management will initially work with the reduced budget for the coming year but will retain the full budget as a secondary plan This will allow WADA to be more flexible and react strategically and operationally in the event that the contribution levels improve Whenever a government does not successfully pay its contribution WADA is forced to consider austerity measures that impact all its activities including athletes and Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) The ExCo and Board also discussed the potential fallout should the United States Government decide to voluntarily withhold its annual contribution to WADA for 2024 former Olympian in the sport of badminton and WADA Athlete Council representative on the Board said: “It is so important for athletes that WADA is properly resourced and that it has certainty around the funds it receives I call on all governments to fulfill their commitments and make their annual contributions to WADA in a predictable and timely fashion so the work upholding the World Anti-Doping Code and supporting athletes around the world can continue anti-doping is becoming more and more politicized which must be avoided as it puts all athletes and the entire system at risk.”  Compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code   The ExCo followed the recommendation of the Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to place the Spanish NADO (CELAD) on the compliance ‘watchlist’ giving it an additional four months to correct outstanding non-conformities if CELAD fails to correct its outstanding non-conformities within the timeline WADA shall automatically send CELAD a formal notice alleging non-compliance and proposing consequences and reinstatement conditions During his report to the ExCo and Board, CRC Chair Henry Gourdji confirmed that the South African NADO (SAIDS) had fulfilled its outstanding critical corrective action that had led it to be alleged non-compliant with the Code on 22 September 2023 so WADA had referred the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport But now that WADA is satisfied that the necessary action is being taken by SAIDS with SAIDS agreeing to bear the full arbitration costs sustained so far The ExCo approved the funding recommendation of the Health, Medical and Research (HMR) Committee identifying 13 research projects for the second cycle of the 2024 call for grants the 13 projects have been selected with grants now approved totaling USD 952,001 The total scientific research budget allocated in 2024 is USD 4.5 million with more than USD 1.4 million having already been approved and allocated in the first cycle by the ExCo at its meeting in September The remaining funds will be used to support identified targeted projects in areas such as erythropoietin (EPO) artificial intelligence and reference materials The final list of approved projects will be published in due course pending contractual negotiations and the standard independent ethical review the Board today approved the composition of the ExCo for 2025 Board composition approval will take place by circulatory vote early in the new year for the Swiss authorities’ registration purposes The full compositions of both the 16-member ExCo and the 42-member Board for 2025 will be published in due course An election process for some members of the Athlete Council (Group 2) is currently underway to be completed and announced before the end of the year Combining all eight of WADA’s Standing and Permanent Special Committees for 2025 at this time there are a total of 71 members (38 women and 33 men) with 39 countries represented from all five continents There are 27 athlete representatives with seats on the various committees This is in addition to there being almost half of members on the ExCo and Board being active or former international-level athletes The full list of 2025 Standing and Permanent Special Committee members will be published shortly The ExCo decided to endorse a recommendation of WADA’s Science and Medicine Department to grant approval for the national Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi, India, to manage Athlete Biological Passports (ABP) as a WADA-approved unit the New Delhi anti-doping laboratory in India expressed its desire to host a WADA-approved APMU An initial application was not successful but following the implementation of a number of modifications and improvements the WADA ABP experts now consider that the laboratory satisfactorily meets the requirements 16 APMUs have been approved by WADA and are currently managing the ABP programs of 284 ADOs The Board approved amendments to WADA’s Code of Ethics and Governance Regulations The Board received annual updates from all of WADA’s Permanent Special Committees and Standing Committees It also heard reports from the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations (iNADO) International Testing Agency (ITA) and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Photos from today's Board meeting are available here These can be reproduced rights free for editorial purposes The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) invites the global anti-doping community to save the date of 11 April to celebrate Play True Day 2025 This annual digital campaign unites us in raising awareness of the importance of clean sport and all other anti-doping stakeholders from around the world to join us in the largest celebration of clean sport Please stay tuned for more details and a toolkit for how you can participate we would kindly ask you to share this message with athletes and others within your network Play True Day was inspired by a 2013 WADA-hosted Education Conference in 2013 where 17 Latin American countries came together to talk about clean sport What started as a small regional event has now grown into a worldwide movement bringing together millions of people every year nearly 200 million impressions1 and 260,000 engagements2 worldwide Should you have any questions or comments, we invite you to contact WADACommunications@wada-ama.org (1) The potential audience for a single mention or a group of mentions  retweets and comments and such interactions on a social media post  The World Anti-Doping Code empowers WADA to initiate its own investigations While WADA’s mandate enables us to investigate an individual violation committed by an individual person the primary focus is on serious and organized doping networks as well as Code or International Standards non-conformities Central to their mandate are those allegations which involve entrenched widespread doping practices or other activities that facilitate doping The objective of the Investigations Unit is to pursue the most serious actors while also developing law enforcement partnerships and developing specialist capabilities to stakeholders and Anti-Doping Organizations who might not have the resources or expertise to conduct investigations The Investigations Unit is also responsible for compliance related investigations “Investigations are at the heart of protecting clean sport dedicated teams of investigators and analysts are committed to apply a robust investigative process and to follow the facts wherever they lead: undercover ADRV or breaches of the Code and / or International Standards exposing doping networks and support our partners from law enforcement we aim to hold those responsible to account the investigation unit ensures that clean sport isn't just a slogan Information on possible doping infractions comes to us from many sources A parent may see something that makes them suspicious an athlete may stand up for their own integrity an official may be asked to do something questionable we begin by collecting additional information we may interview the person making the claim or seek out corroborating evidence without compromising the confidentiality of the informant An analyst will be assigned to the case along with a scientific expert if necessary Their job is to assess the quality of the information and the source They will consider both internal and external data that backs up the claims accuracy and likelihood of the allegations we collaborate with internal teams and external partners such as National Anti-Doping Organizations We also assist partner organizations to share information The team will conduct more interviews and analysis to further corroborate the claims We rely on the Guidelines - Information Gathering and Intelligence  Sharing to ensure consistency and rigor we determine whether the case requires additional follow-up or if it should be closed A case report is drafted and after thorough review See Investigative Reports to consult reports from some of the larger investigations our priority is to work closely with the Intelligence Unit which manages confidential sources separately from investigations ensuring human source files are kept updated while source identities remain protected  Strengthening Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations  To further harmonize and strengthen the investigation of doping in sport worldwide WADA I&I began building the Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (ADIIN) in 2017 ADIIN serves as a global resource to assist Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) in conducting investigations and to identify and promote best practice investigative standards International Standard for Intelligence and Investigations   To support the Code requirement of ADOs to investigate ADRVs the main objective of ADIIN’s Expert Group was to define and establish the key requirements of the anti-doping I&I process volunteers from the ADIIN have been part of a group that has gathered and laid the foundations of a dedicated International Standard for Intelligence and Investigations (ISII) This is a massive achievement led by the Expert Group and its Steering Committee members on behalf of the ADOs’ investigative community—a legacy that will strengthen the importance of I&I for clean sport Strengthening the anti-doping legal framework   The ADIIN Expert Group, under the coordination of the Steering Committee, is strengthening the anti-doping legal framework by assisting the drafting teams working on the Code and International Standards Update Process and proactively making suggestions and/or amendments The ADIIN Expert Group will therefore ensure that the specificity of Intelligence and Investigations is properly reflected International Standard for Testing and Investigations (ISTI) Guidelines - Information Gathering and Intelligence Sharing The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that following a thorough review it will not lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Polish tennis player who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) On 28 November, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the independent body that delivers anti-doping programs on behalf of the International Tennis Federation, announced that Ms Świątek had accepted a one-month period of ineligibility after the ITIA determined that her positive test for TMZ was caused by a contaminated melatonin product that is regulated as a medication in Poland and was sourced from a reputable pharmacy in that country WADA has conducted a full review of the case file related to the ITIA decision WADA’s scientific experts have confirmed that the specific contaminated melatonin scenario as presented by the athlete and accepted by the ITIA is plausible and that there would be no scientific grounds to challenge it at CAS WADA sought advice from external legal counsel who considered that the athlete’s contamination explanation was well evidenced that the ITIA decision was compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code and that there was no reasonable basis to appeal it to the CAS who is responsible for the conduct of investigations regarding alleged breaches of the Code of Ethics The IEB, which is regulated by the Code of Ethics (see Annex A), is a Permanent Special Committee composed of nine members: one Independent Chair one Sport Movement Member and one Public Authority Member One Independent Member position becomes vacant in May 2025 This call for interest launches the process to appoint an IEB Member with suitable legal qualifications and experience APPLICATION PROCESS AND EXPECTATIONS OF POTENTIAL MEMBER  WADA is seeking candidates to fill one Independent Member seat of the IEB Appropriately experienced candidates from within and outside the anti-doping community are encouraged to apply for this seat Applications are to be submitted to WADA’s independent Nominations Committee which will make an initial determination to retain a number of candidates recommend a preferred candidate from a final shortlist of candidates The Nominations Committee may also search for and identify suitable candidate profiles for the position to ensure a robust candidate pool is available The Nominations Committee will submit the results of its work, including the relevant dossiers and a recommendation on each candidate, as well as the suitability for appointment as Chair, to the WADA President and Vice-President of the WADA Foundation Board (Board) is decided by the Board and it is expected that the recommended candidate will be presented for approval by circulatory vote to the Board by end of April 2025 with an entry into office on 19 May 2025 for a three-year term In order to enhance the skills and competencies of the IEB in the adjudication arena, the new IEB Member shall have legal qualifications and judicial or litigation experience. Candidates are invited to consult the Position Profile for a comprehensive list of requirements the Nominations Committee will be making a recommendation to the WADA Board regarding the Chair position in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Ethics (see Annex A Candidates who are interested and believe they have the competencies to chair the IEB are encouraged to highlight this in their application All members of the IEB (except for the two members designated by the Public Authorities and the Sport Movement) must meet the WADA Operational and Organizational Independence criteria1 in force at the time of their application and for the duration of their appointment employment or holding of elected/appointed positions in bodies exercising authority with Code Signatories is not compatible with the independence criteria This is also the case for members of law firms that regularly file claims for or against WADA Further examples of incompatibility are provided in the WADA Regulations on Independence The new IEB Member will be appointed for a term of three years commencing 19 May 2025 and may be reappointed for two further terms of three years provided they continue to meet all relevant eligibility criteria A member may not serve on the IEB for more than nine years in total The IEB holds regular administrative meetings during the year by videoconference and meets annually in person The time commitment required of members otherwise depends on the number and complexity of cases to be adjudicated under the Code of Ethics An independent Ethics Officer was selected by the IEB in March 2023 The Ethics Officer functions as the first responder to complaints and undertakes investigations prior to referring any files to the IEB and any Panel being formed to adjudicate a case WADA is a not-for-profit organization funded by member contributions and compensation arrangements reflect this nature members of the IEB receive an annual honorarium This compensation model is specific to the IEB and is in line with the Code of Ethics and WADA’s current compensation policy Expenses incurred with respect to meetings are covered by WADA Applications are to be forwarded by Friday, 7 February 2025 to Ms. Diane Smith-Gander AO, Chair, WADA Nominations Committee (c/o governance@wada-ama.org) all applications must include the following:  expressing reasons behind interest in appointment and whether interest is being expressed in the role of Chair;  an updated curriculum vitae2 fully outlining qualifications3 3. a completed Declaration of Independence confirming that the required independence criteria are met Applicants that are retained will be requested to provide up to three referees who may be contacted by the Nominations Committee Retained applicants will also be asked to consent to the use of third-party services to conduct background checks and vetting Any questions should be directed to Ms. Diane Smith-Gander AO, c/o governance@wada-ama.org (1) These criteria are set out in the Regulations on Independence in WADA’s Governance Regulations and can be consulted in the Declaration of Independence mentioned above (2) For purposes of review, evaluation, and approval, candidates consent to the sharing of their curriculum vitae and candidate file (and personal information contained therein) with the WADA Administration and the Nominations Committee, as well as the Executive Committee and/or Foundation Board, in accordance with WADA’s Governance Regulations and Privacy Policy Candidates are asked to review the Privacy Policy for details about how their personal information will be processed by WADA candidates confirm that they have read and understood the Privacy Policy and accept its terms (3) If the candidate refers to qualifications/certifications in their candidacy the year of obtention of any such qualifications/certifications must be included The candidate must also be able to provide valid evidence of such qualifications/certifications should it be requested by the Nominations Committee the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is proud to mark Play True Day 2025 governments and all other clean sport stakeholders from around the world that have united behind this year’s powerful theme: “Play True: It Starts with You.”  WADA’s Play True Day digital campaign has become a highlight of the anti-doping calendar What began as a small celebration in Latin America in 2014 has evolved into a truly global movement with thousands of individuals and organizations taking part annually “Play True: It Starts with You,” shines a spotlight on the personal responsibility that each person has in upholding the values of clean sport athletes and anti-doping stakeholders are proudly sharing what clean sport means to them — through videos photos and events — and are renewing their commitment to the integrity of sport WADA President Witold Bańka said: “Every voice raised today helps to strengthen the clean sport movement for athletes worldwide we’re not only increasing anti-doping awareness we are also building a culture of fairness and accountability that starts with each of us…as part of One Team.”  WADA’s social media channels will be featuring Play True Day content from around the world and passion that defines the global collaborative movement for doping-free sport To see more on Play True Day 2025 and how the global community is coming together, visit our dedicated Play True Day page The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) congratulates the Anti-Doping Agency of Serbia (ADAS) for an investigation that successfully dismantled an organized criminal group and seized 3,000kg of doping substances worth more than EUR 3 million The investigation was one of more than 100 initiated as a direct result of WADA’s European Intelligence & Investigation (I&I) Project which developed I&I capability and capacity in nearly 50 countries Following their participation in one of the project’s training sessions two ADAS investigators returned to Serbia and immediately established communication with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia the multi-party collaboration homed in on an organized criminal group illegally importing and distributing doping substances throughout Serbia The project facilitated widespread interactions between WADA I&I European law enforcement agencies and European Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) and the Service for Combating Organized Crime in cooperation with the Public Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime and the Ministry of Sport of the Republic of Serbia carried out four separate operations that led to the arrest of 10 members of the organized criminal group said: “WADA applauds the Anti-Doping Agency of Serbia and the Serbian government for the remarkable success of this operation It has proven what is possible when Anti-Doping Organizations law enforcement and governments proactively work together strong legal frameworks and a willingness to share information is key to the protection of clean sport and public health WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations department was happy to assist and welcomes all countries who wish to achieve similar results to connect with us.”   Along with the arrests and doping substances seized authorities also confiscated EUR 100,000 in cash cryptocurrency worth approximately EUR 500,000 seven websites used for online sales of illegal substances Director of the Anti-Doping Agency of Serbia said: “The Anti-Doping Agency of Serbia and the Serbian government are pleased by the results of this operation Our participation in WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations Capability and Capacity Building initiative has produced immediate results It is a testament to what can be accomplished when organizations cooperate on major operations We intend on using this blueprint for success in future investigations and look forward to continued collaboration with WADA to protect the public and clean sport.”  About WADA’s I&I Capability and Capacity Building Project   In June 2022, WADA was awarded a grant by the European Commission to increase anti-doping I&I capability and capacity in Europe reduce the prevalence of doping in sport and maximize the health benefits for European youth practicing clean sport The I&I Capability and Capacity Building project involved around 48 countries, 51 anti-doping organizations and 48 law enforcement agencies in Europe.  See summary of project’s success here WADA will carry out I&I capability and capacity building workshops in the Asia and Oceania regions as part of the I&I department’s Global Intelligence and Investigations Network The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to share a new journal publication and a Therapeutic Use Exemption guideline designed to help physicians treating athletes for short stature conditions without growth hormone deficiency The TUE process is a critical part of the anti-doping system that allows for inclusiveness and fairness in competitive sport Short Stature (non-growth hormone deficient) TUE Physician Guidelines  Last year, WADA’s Medical team worked with a group of renowned international endocrinologists and a sport medicine physician to develop a Short Stature (non-growth hormone deficiency) TPG  for the use of human growth hormone (hGH) in athletes diagnosed with short stature conditions without growth hormone deficiency The group of endocrinologists confirmed that hGH treatment would be considered therapeutic if the athlete’s height is below 2.25 standard deviations on the growth curve in which case the athlete could apply for a TUE The new TPG suggests that treatment may continue until the athlete reaches the 5th percentile of adult height the endocrinologists concluded that hGH treatment is not medically necessary in these situations Following the publishing of this TPG, WADA worked with the endocrinologists to produce a journal publication detailing the rationale behind the guidelines and how the recommendations were developed. This recent publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism demonstrates the collaborative efforts involved in the development of TPGs which are invaluable tools in the medical anti-doping context and exemplifies WADA’s commitment to harmonizing global TUE practices in challenging areas to ensure fair play and clean sport Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) launches the Third Consultation Phase of the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code & International Standards Update Process (2027 Code & IS Update Process) for which the Agency is soliciting stakeholder feedback by 30 May 2025 We are inviting stakeholders to provide feedback on the second drafts(1)(2) of the 2027 Code and International Standards that were developed by the drafting teams during the Second Drafting Phase initiated in October 2024(3) Stakeholders are invited to provide their feedback via WADAConnect stakeholders will find the following documents for their review:  Two redline versions for each of the second drafts of the 2027 Code and Standards(4) Clean versions of the second drafts of the 2027 Code and Standards  Summary of Major Changes for the second drafts of the 2027 Code and Standards  For more information related to WADAConnect, please refer to the user guide In the interest of transparency, and because this is a public consultation, WADA will publish all comments(5) received during this phase on its website in June 2025. Stakeholder credentials, such as username, organization, and organization type, will be posted alongside the comments unless WADA is otherwise notified by email at the address connect@wada-ama.org While the drafting teams will carefully consider and review all comments it cannot be guaranteed that they will individually address different stakeholders’ comments or that a given suggestion will be included in amended and updated versions of the Code and International Standards especially based on experience with practical implementation is essential to ensuring that the Code and International Standards are fit for purpose in the promotion of clean sport Next Steps – Finalization and Presentation at Sixth World Conference on Doping in Sport  Following the end of the Third Consultation Phase final versions of the Code and IS will be prepared The final versions will then be submitted for formal approval by the WADA Executive Committee and Foundation Board at the Sixth World Conference on Doping in Sport The documents will come into force 1 January 2027 For more information regarding the 2027 Code & IS Update Process or the Drafting Team Working Groups, we invite you to refer to the Code Review webpage If you have any questions, please contact code@wada-ama.org the developed versions of the Code and International Standards are only available in English (2) As it concerns the International Standard of Laboratories (ISL) stakeholders should note that a distinct consultation will be launched in March 2025 concerning four (4) new ISL-related Technical Documents: Method Validation (TD2027VAL); WADA External Quality Assessment Scheme (TD2027EQAS); Laboratory Performance Evaluation (TD2027PERF); and WADA Analytical Testing Procedures (WADA2027ATP) (3) Please note that a revised version of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories entered into effect on 1 April 2024 and was therefore not the subject of revision during the First Drafting Phase (4) Please note that there is only one redline version for the International Standard for Intelligence and Investigations as this is a new International Standard (5) Please note that WADA reserves the right to remove any and all comments that constitute hateful speech or are defamatory threatening in nature or are otherwise illegal Take part in the #PlayTrueChallenge on Instagram! WADA is inviting the global anti-doping community to take part in the #PlayTrueChallenge a new interactive fitness initiative running from 10 March to 10 April 2025 Building on the spirit of Play True Day that will be held on 11 April this 30-second challenge encourages participants to showcase their commitment to fair play through sport-related actions individuals help raise awareness about the importance of clean sport and the dedication of athletes worldwide Post your video anytime between 10 March and 10 April 2025 Call to Action for the Global Anti-Doping Community  The #PlayTrueChallenge is a dynamic way to engage athletes and organizations in spreading the message of clean sport individuals amplify the importance of integrity and fair play strengthening the global movement for doping-free sport We encourage all members of the global anti-doping community and clean sport advocates to take on the challenge and share their passion for doping-free sport We invite you to share this message with athletes the global anti-doping community celebrates Play True Day which is a digital campaign that unites us in raising awareness of the importance of clean sport For more information and access to campaign resources, please visit WADA’s official Play True Day page; and playing an integral role on both of WADA’s key decision-making bodies Further details on the election timeline are provided in the table below WADA’s Statutes and Governance Regulations outline the rules that apply to the Board and the ExCo as well as to the election of the WADA President and Vice-President The relevant provisions for this election are reflected in the comprehensive Electoral Package Applications are to be addressed to the attention of the WADA Director General at WADA’s Headquarters in Montreal (c/o governance@wada-ama.org) no later than Friday 31 January 2025 by 5:00 PM EST (Montreal time) Any form received after the above deadline or that does not comply with the abovementioned requirements will automatically render the corresponding application inadmissible Applications will be submitted to WADA’s independent Nominations Committee which is responsible for reviewing and vetting the candidates for the President and Vice-President election Further details on their work are provided in Part A of the Electoral Package (see section 5) The Nominations Committee will submit the results of its work The campaign period will run from 31 March 2025 once the candidates are vetted by the Nominations Committee and when the list of official candidates is publicly announced by WADA During the entire campaign period and until the end of the election all candidates shall comply with the Rules of Conduct provided in the Governance Regulations which are further detailed in Part B of the Electoral Package The positions of WADA President and Vice-President require skill, independence, and a strong commitment. Qualified candidates are invited to consult the Position Requirements for more details candidates must be endorsed by two members of the Board one from the 20 Olympic Movement seats and one from the 20 Public Authorities seats The Board will elect a President and a Vice-President for an initial term of six years starting on 1 January 2026 The President and Vice-President can stand for re-election for a further term of three years Any President or Vice-President cannot sit for more than nine years in each position In the case of the current President and Vice-President they may stand for re-election as they will have served six years at the end of their current terms their new and final term would be for three years only Candidates must meet WADA’s Operational and Personal Independence criteria3 in force at the time of their application the elected President and Vice-President will have to meet the Organizational Independence criteria3 for a six-month period prior to being eligible to hold office (cooling-off period) and throughout their mandate the cooling-off period will start on 1 July 2025 There are three ExCo meetings per year (March and November/December) as well as one annual Board meeting that follows the last ExCo meeting Should the President be unable to attend a meeting the Vice-President shall act as their deputy the President and Vice-President may be invited and travel to meet with WADA’s stakeholders Given that their positions require significant skills and independence and generate a significant volume of professional work the President and Vice-President are entitled to receive an annual indemnity fixed by the Board The President and Vice-President shall also be entitled to a daily indemnity for activities that are performed on top of their normal duties of the Board and ExCo that result from the WADA Statutes and Governance Regulations Below is the timeline for the 2025 election of the WADA President and Vice-President which is further detailed in Part A of the Electoral Package Nomination of the Election Scrutineer by WADA’s Independent Ethics Board  Close public call for interest (deadline to apply)  Candidacy Forms provided to Nominations Committee  Nominations Committee to review and vet candidates  Nominations Committee to provide dossiers of vetted candidates to Foundation Board   Announcement of the official list of candidates and start of campaign period  Election at virtual Foundation Board meeting  Entry into effect of cooling-off requirements  Any questions regarding this call for interest or the WADA President and Vice-President election process should be directed to WADA’s Governance Unit at governance@wada-ama.org (1) Following WADA’s May/June 2023 Foundation Board circulatory vote, the Board approved changes to Statutes and Governance Regulations as part of the Agency’s wide-ranging governance reform process and (ii) confirm that they have read and understood the Privacy Policy and accept its terms (3) These criteria are set out in the Regulations on Independence in WADA’s Governance Regulations and can be consulted in the Position Requirements World Rugby is joining the global sporting community on 11 April to help support the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Play True Day and promote the importance of clean sport Play True Day has grown from a small initiative into a global movement that reaches millions of people every year Play True Day performs a leading education role for athletes and the wider sporting public about all matters anti-doping, the importance of making the right choices and the range of educational materials available, such as World Rugby’s nutritional supplement videos the theme is ‘Play True: It Starts With You’ and WADA aims to highlight the individual responsibility of athletes coaches and stakeholders to protect the integrity of sport said: "World Rugby is delighted to again support the WADA Play True Day initiative “We recognise the importance of clean sport and of ensuring that our players and support staff around the world are provided with the tools encouragement and support to compete clean “Through Play True Day and our flagship Keep Rugby Clean awareness campaign we ensure that the right messages are being delivered to the right participants at the right times and that we can all contribute to maintaining a level playing field in rugby.” World Rugby launched Keep Rugby Clean in 2005 and it has supported players and team management across the game ever since The programme aims to deter doping by educating participants on their responsibilities raising awareness of doping risks and fostering an ethical clean-sport ethos World Rugby tested 2,196 players across all disciplines of men’s and women’s rugby 997 of those samples were collected in competition and a further 1,199 were taken out of competition World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Director General and other members of WADA’s staff were in Rabat for the inaugural African National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) Forum as was the African Union of Sports Medicine During his opening address, Mr. Niggli thanked the hosts and participants for their dedication to clean sport initiatives in Africa, and later delivered a presentation on WADA’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2029 with an emphasis on how WADA’s initiatives over the next five years will impact athletes and stakeholders around the world Niggli said: “It was a pleasure to spend time with our African partners during the inaugural African NADO Forum We had substantial discussions on several important topics that pertain to the African region WADA thanks the Moroccan NADO for its hospitality and for working with us to put this event together These types of forums are important – bringing regional stakeholders together to discuss specific issues relating to their constituency is the most effective way to lay the foundation for tangible change This week’s discussions were an excellent start.”  The agenda also featured a presentation by the Director of WADA’s Africa Office who focused on the anti-doping program in Africa and WADA’s initiatives currently in place across the continent He said: “I commend our regional and international stakeholders for making our discussions in Rabat such a positive experience It was great to see the collaboration on show at the forum as participants had an opportunity to engage with each other on matters affecting their work in implementing robust anti-doping programs in their respective countries “The anti-doping program in Africa has steadily improved in recent years and forums like this one will make a marked impact on continuing that progress in the years to come We are now eagerly looking ahead to the regional symposium that will be held in Africa next year where matters relevant to the implementation of the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards will take center stage.”  Along with a number of opportunities for roundtable discussions and interactive workshops said: “We are honored to have had the opportunity to welcome WADA and our partners from across Africa to Rabat for this important forum thoughtful discussions and our presenters provided valuable insight that each representative can bring back to their respective Anti-Doping Organizations Those in attendance are surely leaving with a renewed sense of motivation to continue to protect clean sport in Africa and around the world We look forward to reconvening in 2026 at WADA’s regional symposium in Africa and I look forward to seeing the progress that is made as a direct result of the work done here this week.”  who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission and an Olympian in the sport of rugby those present agreed to a number of outcomes to discuss anti-doping in Morocco and the importance of governmental support of NADOs and RADOs in Africa The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce that it has signed a two-year training agreement with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) AI governance and digital responsibility globally The IAPP’s Foundation of Privacy and Data Protection course will play a key role in strengthening privacy awareness among members of the anti-doping community and empowering stakeholders with essential expertise in data protection by providing privacy training licenses for Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) National Anti-Doping Organizations and Major Event Organizations The virtual training courses offered by the IAPP will provide ADOs with foundational knowledge to correctly implement policies that are compliant with the International Standard for the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information the mandatory International Standard that ensures all Signatories to the World Anti-Doping Code apply effective privacy protections to the personal information they process as part of their anti-doping programs WADA President Witold Bańka said: “WADA is enthusiastic about the tangible benefits that this partnership with the International Association of Privacy Professionals will provide our stakeholders By aligning global privacy practices and helping to ensure consistent this partnership supports WADA's goal to protect the integrity of sport and the rights of athletes while demonstrating a proactive commitment to safeguarding personal information in an evolving regulatory landscape.”  The IAPP’s Foundations of Privacy and Data Protection course will be made available to Tier 1 ADOs and WADA’s Global Learning and Development Framework participants The curriculum combines theoretical and practical content that teaches fundamental privacy concepts IAPP President and CEO Trevor Hughes said: “The IAPP looks forward to working with the World Anti-Doping Agency in the forthcoming years as the Foundations Course will serve as an invaluable resource for members of the global anti-doping community Organizations will cultivate in-house privacy knowledge within operational areas that are increasingly bearing privacy responsibilities The IAPP is delighted to support WADA in its unwavering commitment to safeguarding athletes’ privacy.”  The IAPP is a policy neutral, not-for-profit association founded in 2000 with a mission to define, promote and improve the professions of privacy, AI governance and digital responsibility globally. For more information, please visit iapp.org. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) congratulates Ms Kirsty Coventry on being elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coventry will take over from President Thomas Bach whose 12-year term will come to an end in June 2025 WADA President Witold Bańka said: “On behalf of the World Anti-Doping Agency I would like to congratulate Kirsty Coventry on her election to the presidency of the International Olympic Committee Coventry is widely respected throughout the sporting community the IOC continues to play a crucial role within WADA’s governance and its global collaborative movement for doping-free sport we look forward to continued partnership with the entire Sport Movement over the years to come There is much that we have achieved together and plenty more to do ahead to continue protecting the integrity of sport Coventry will graciously take the torch from President Bach and lead the IOC into the future with the same tenacity “I also take this opportunity to congratulate President Bach on his tenure as the IOC leader Bach has made anti-doping policy a priority throughout his presidency despite the complex and difficult situations faced along the way The Olympic Agenda has emphasized the importance of clean sport and has helped advance anti-doping standards around the world It has secured additional funding for intelligence and investigations and scientific research focused on anti-doping I thank President Bach for all his support and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”  Coventry was the IOC Athlete Representative at WADA from 2012-2021 and a member of WADA's Athlete Committee from 2014-2021 Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Executive Committee (ExCo) held its first meeting of the year during which members received a range of updates and took a number of decisions aimed at strengthening the global anti-doping system – the main ones being summarized below Following that update, which showed that each of the recommendations had already been implemented or was in progress and on track, according to the agreed timeline, the ExCo approved the creation of the WADA Working Group on Contaminations (WGC) including its Terms of Reference and Composition The WGC will be responsible for conducting a global review on sources of contamination leading to adverse analytical findings (AAFs) and anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) in sport It will also provide guidance and recommendations to the ExCo on potential improvements to the regulations and processes to further take into account the risk of such contaminations while also maintaining an efficient anti-doping system said: “As has been highlighted recently by the Chinese swimmers cases and several other cases the issue of contamination is real and growing It is crucial that WADA and its clean sport partners address it head on we are seeing those who test positive put forward contamination defenses Our challenge is to distinguish between cases of genuine contamination versus those who dishonestly seek to use it in an attempt to avoid sanction This is one of the key challenges that the clean sport community now faces.”   “This new Working Group will help us plot the way forward, complementing wider WADA initiatives, such as WADA’s Taskforce on Unintentional Doping which will shortly be calling for input from the community on this topic in the context of the ongoing World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and International Standard update process WADA’s Code Drafting Team is reflecting on this problem and considering the need for regulatory improvements with the goal of ensuring harmonization and consistency for athletes This is a complex and nuanced area of anti-doping in which WADA always strives to strike the right balance for the good of athletes and clean sport.”  Also coming from the implementation of the Cottier Report observations the ExCo discussed the setting up of a Working Group on the Operational Independence of National Anti-Doping Organizations (WGOI) to explore further the issue of National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) independence A decision on the establishment of the WGOI will be made by the ExCo in due course WADA Director General Olivier Niggli highlighted the issue of the Enhanced Games the event that allows and encourages athletes to take prohibited substances they are preparing to announce a venue for the event which they say will be in the United States Niggli said: “WADA unconditionally condemns the Enhanced Games as an unsafe and irresponsible project National Anti-Doping Organizations or from among the athletes everyone within the global anti-doping community should speak out strongly and put forward a united front against this dangerous experiment Allowing this event to go ahead would put the health of athletes and the integrity of sport at grave risk.”  said: “The Athlete Council is firmly opposed to the so-called Enhanced Games and any event that promotes the use of performance-enhancing substances and methods These Games represent a dangerous and reckless concept that disregards athletes' health and well-being it is that the use of performance-enhancing substances has taken a devastating physical and mental toll on many athletes around the world To encourage such an event is both irresponsible and unacceptable we strongly discourage any athlete from participating in these Games we urge all athletes who believe in fair competition and athlete well-being to make their voices heard we must stand united in our commitment to protecting athletes and ensuring sport remains a space of integrity In connection with the Finance section of the agenda the ExCo discussed and expressed concern regarding the shortfall in WADA’s 2024 funding due to the withholding of funding by the previous United States administration Members emphasized the importance of Governments respecting the commitment made when WADA was founded in 1999 whereby the Sport Movement and governments of the world came together with a joint commitment to finance WADA’s budget A material reduction in contributions ultimately penalizes the global anti-doping system by forcing WADA to reduce its operational activities it is vitally important for the protection of athletes to preserve this solidarity model in order to secure WADA’s budget so that the Agency is in a position to fulfil its mission to lead the global collaborative movement for doping-free sport The ExCo followed the recommendation of the Agency’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to allege the NADO of Iran as non-compliant with the Code and added the NADO of Sri Lanka to the compliance ‘watchlist’ The Iranian NADO has been alleged as non-compliant with the Code in connection with non-conformities that were identified through the Code Compliance Questionnaire (CCQ) exercise in the area of testing. The proposed consequences and reinstatement conditions for the Iranian NADO can be found here Under Article 9.3.1 of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS) a Signatory has 21 days following the date of receipt of the formal notice of non-compliance to dispute WADA’s allegation of non-compliance and/or the proposed consequences and/or the reinstatement conditions proposed by the ExCo it should be noted that the decision (including the consequences) will enter into force on 18 April 2025 unless the decision is challenged before that date The ExCo also followed the recommendation of the CRC to place the NADO of Sri Lanka on the ‘watchlist’ giving it an additional four months to correct its outstanding non-conformity The procedure involving the Sri Lankan NADO follows a review of its legal framework that revealed its legal system was not in line with the 2021 version of the Code the NADO has finalized a satisfactory corrective action plan (including draft amendments to the legal system in line with the 2021 Code and a timeline for adoption) to resolve the non-conformity within four months (by 28 July 2025) therefore meeting the criteria of the ‘watchlist’ as stated in Article 8.4.5 of the ISCCS if the NADO fails to correct its outstanding issue within the timeline WADA shall automatically send the NADO a formal notice alleging non-compliance and proposing consequences and reinstatement conditions World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards Update  The ExCo was briefed on the main activities undertaken since its previous meeting in December 2024 regarding the 2027 Code and International Standards update process will culminate in the approval of the new Code and Standards in December 2025 with any changes coming into effect on 1 January 2027 2025 Scientific Research Grants (Cycle 1)  The ExCo approved funding recommendations for research proposals as part of WADA’s 2025 Cycle 1 call for scientific research grants four projects were selected for funding in this cycle from a total of 28 expressions of interest Details of these projects will be published on WADA’s website in the coming months once the individual contracts are signed The remaining funds in the 2025 research budget will be used to support Cycles 2 and 3 as well as being allocated to already identified targeted projects in areas such as glucocorticoids The ExCo approved WADA’s Social Science Research (SSR) Strategy 2025-2029 which builds upon the achievements delivered by the previous strategy (2020-2024) and aims to further integrate social science research into anti-doping efforts The new strategy will be published shortly Under this strategy, the ExCo approved the recommendations of WADA’s Education Committee for SSR grants totaling USD 484,765 of funding under the 2025 SSR Grant Program The grants will cover 10 research projects at local Nominations Committee and Athlete Member Appointments to Standing Committees  The ExCo approved the reappointment of Regine Buettner from Germany as an independent member and Kelly Fairweather from South Africa as the Sport Movement member on WADA’s Nominations Committee for further three-year terms until May 2028 WADA is composed of a 42-member Foundation Board which is the Agency’s highest policy-making body which is delegated by the Board to manage the running of the Agency including the performance of activities and the administration of assets The ExCo is composed of five representatives from the Sport Movement five representatives from Governments of the world the independent Chair of WADA’s Athlete Council and five other independent members including the President and Vice-President almost half of the Board and ExCo members are active or former international-level athletes Election to be held during virtual Foundation Board meeting on 29 May  playing an integral role on both of these key decision-making bodies There is one candidate standing for election of the President submitted his application for re-election and his dossier has been submitted to the Board There is one candidate standing for election of the Vice-President submitted her application for re-election and her dossier has been submitted to the Board to the Board on Friday 28 March 2025 as per the election timeline (see below for reference) The campaign period will run from today, Monday 31 March 2025, until Wednesday 28 May 2025, the day prior to the election (see timeline below). During the entire campaign period and until the end of the election, all candidates shall comply with WADA’s Code of Ethics and the Rules of Conduct provided in the Governance Regulations The election will take place during a virtual Foundation Board meeting on Thursday 29 May 2025 The independent President and the independent Vice-President must be elected by a two-thirds majority of the votes (including blank votes) cast by the Board members present at the time of the vote the President and Vice-President will not take part in the vote for the renewal of their mandate nor will the President take part in the vote for Vice-President and vice-versa The terms of office of the current WADA President and Vice-President will end on 31 December 2025 Yang’s terms would be renewed for a subsequent three-year term from 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2028 Nominations Committee review and vet candidates  Nominations Committee provide dossiers of vetted candidates to Foundation Board   Any questions regarding the election process for the WADA President and Vice-President should be directed to WADA’s Governance Unit at governance@wada-ama.org The 2025 World Conference on Doping in Sport will be held in Busan Participants are encouraged to explore the Visit Busan website to learn more about what the city is offering Visit official World Conference on Doping in Sport Web page Visit Busan The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) invites stakeholders to participate in a consultation process to revise the following four new Technical Documents (TDs), which are directly linked to the ongoing update process of the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) TD2027EQAS – External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS)  and provides a description of the WADA EQAS; its objectives; the types and composition of EQAS samples; and the Laboratory procedural requirements for the analysis of EQAS samples and the reporting of EQAS results TD2027PERF – Laboratory Performance Evaluation  outcomes) for evaluating Laboratory EQAS and routine Analytical Testing performance by WADA This TD also includes articles describing the evaluation procedure for candidate laboratories (Assessment of Pre-Probationary Test EQAS results) probationary laboratories (Final Accreditation Test EQAS and assessment) Blood Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) EQAS and definitions to qualify nonconformities and recommendations TD2027VAL – Technical Document on Minimum Requirements for Validation of Analytical Testing Procedures for Doping Control  and outlines the minimum requirements applicable to the validation of Analytical Testing Procedures applied in Doping Control This TD emphasizes the requirements for the preparation of Validation Reports and the minimum set of validation parameters according to the different types of procedures TD2027ATP – Technical Document on Analytical Testing Procedures  TD ATP establishes the framework for the application of Analytical Testing Procedures for Doping Control This TD was developed to ensure consistency and transparency in the implementation of Analytical Testing Procedures across all Laboratories TL26 Clomifene - Instructions on the Analysis and Reporting of Clomifene (CLO) Findings in Urine Samples  This new TL defines a Minimum Reporting Level (MRL) and analysis requirements for clomifene. This substance, which is prohibited at all times and is classified under class S4.2 Anti-Estrogenic Substances of the Prohibited List may be present in athletes' urine as a result of the consumption of poultry-derived products (i.e. chicken eggs and meat) contaminated with residues of clomifene WADA circulated this TL for stakeholder consultation from 30 January to 22 February 2025 a recommendation was incorporated to allow the reporting of clomifene findings at urinary concentrations below the MRL of 2 ng/mL as Atypical Findings which would trigger mandatory investigations by Results Management Authorities Stakeholders are invited to review and provide comments by 16 May 2025 using WADA’s online consultation platform, WADAConnect For more information related to the use of WADAConnect, please refer to the simple user guide About WADA’s Technical Letters and Documents  Under the International Standard for Laboratories WADA’s TLs and TDs provide direction to WADA-accredited laboratories and reporting of results for specific Prohibited Substance(s) and/or Prohibited Method(s) or with the application of specific Laboratory procedures whereas TDs are concerned with technical and procedural issues As part of WADA’s mandate to enhance anti-doping activities under the World Anti-Doping Code TLs and TDs are occasionally revised to reflect scientific and technological advances in the performance of anti-doping tests and the reporting of test results They are revised and refined in consultation with WADA stakeholders For any questions related to the above, we invite you to contact WADA’s Science Department at science@wada-ama.org Further to the communication following its virtual Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting on 27 March 2025 the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wishes to provide an update on the compliance of the National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) of Iran The Iranian NADO was alleged non-compliant at the ExCo meeting on 27 March 2025 in connection with non-conformities related to the area of testing that were identified through the Code Compliance Questionnaire (CCQ) exercise Under Article 9.3.1 of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS) before a formal notice of non-compliance becomes a final decision a Signatory has 21 days following the date of receipt of the formal notice to dispute WADA’s allegation of non-compliance That deadline was at midnight on 17 April 2025 hence why we are communicating the update on this case to our stakeholders today Since the ExCo meeting and prior to the expiration of the 21 days following receipt of the formal notice of non-compliance As such, the non-compliance consequences will not come into force on 18 April 2025 WADA will provide further update in due course once it has been determined whether the Iranian NADO will be placed on the watchlist The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to host regional symposiums in 2026 The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the Sport Movement and Governments of the world and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) – a document harmonizing anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries WADA intends to replace its annual Symposium which traditionally takes place in Lausanne in March The symposiums will be designed to address the unique needs and challenges of stakeholders in the different regions in the lead up to the implementation of the 2027 Code and International Standards The events will provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and fostering partnerships to strengthen the global anti-doping community WADA is proposing the following sequence and timing for the symposiums:  WADA invites cities and countries interested in hosting one of the four Regional Symposiums to:  For any questions or comments, please contact WADA’s Events Manager, Riziero Pisani, at events@wada-ama.org Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes the 2025 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List), which was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) during its meeting on 12 September 2024 and enters into force on 1 January 2025 The List is one of the eight International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) It designates which substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition and which substances are banned in particular sports WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “We encourage athletes their entourage and all stakeholders to acquaint themselves with the Summary of Major Modifications to avoid inadvertent use of substances and methods that are prohibited in sport for 2025 we kindly ask all Anti-Doping Organizations around the world to share the List and its related documents with athletes and other relevant stakeholders under their jurisdiction In addition to the documents linked above, WADA has provided, or will provide, educational resources as part of its Code Implementation Support Program (CISP), which can be accessed on the Agency’s Anti-Doping Education and Learning Platform (ADEL) A CISP Checklist – Implementing Revised List (available now)  Athlete and ASP Guide to the 2025 List (to be available mid-December)  and the 2025 Monitoring Program are available for download on WADA’s website in English and French with Spanish to follow in the coming weeks Stakeholders wishing to translate the List into other languages are kindly asked to signal their interest to code@wada-ama.org The List’s mobile-friendly digital edition will go live on 1 January 2025 The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce that it has signed a collaboration agreement with the World Academy of Sport (WAoS) a world leader in delivering tailored learning programs for sport organizations participants and student athletes on a global scale The collaboration between WADA and WAoS is centered on developing new education and training programs to enhance the learning and development opportunities within the global anti-doping and sport community Leveraging the expertise of both organizations the collaboration in year one will focus on four specific deliverables WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “WADA is excited to be collaborating with the World Academy of Sport. WADA has long prioritized the value of education and more recently invested in enhancing the capability of anti-doping organizations around the world through its Global Learning and Development Framework This collaboration significantly enhances our ability to create meaningful learning experiences for new roles within the global anti-doping community increasing the access to quality education and training programs The collaboration will provide tailored offerings to key anti-doping stakeholders by combining WAoS’ proficiency in education program development with WADA’s global network and anti-doping expertise It will undoubtedly advance the educational offering that is available to our stakeholders around the world.”  said: “The World Academy of Sport is looking forward to the opportunity to work collaboratively with the World Anti-Doping Agency over the years to come WAoS prides itself in being world sport’s education partner Whether it is collaborating with WAoS global educational partners such as our Athlete Friendly School network and the International Baccalaureate or designing specific learning pathways for anti-doping leaders this collaboration will ultimately provide immense value for the entire anti-doping community.”  The World Academy of Sport partners with education institutions global sport companies and International Federations (IFs) and has played a key role in the establishment and operation of several sport specific IF academies where it developed and delivered tailored education to member country federations throughout the world utilizing a number of learning formats The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announces that its Laboratory Expert Advisory Group (Lab EAG) has recommended not to impose an Analytical Testing Restriction (ATR) against the Seibersdorf Labor GmbH Doping Control Laboratory (Laboratory) limited to the application of the Gas Chromatography/Combustion/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) method the Lab EAG has recommended that a public notification be made of the Laboratory’s non-conformity as well as informing stakeholders of its satisfactory resolution through the implementation of adequate preventive and corrective actions On 14 February 2025, the Laboratory self-reported a non-compliance related to the GC/C/IRMS to WADA. In accordance with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) the Laboratory immediately ceased the application of the GC/C/IRMS method and informed its clients Within a few weeks of the self-reported non-compliance the Laboratory provided WADA the report of their completed investigation The Laboratory’s investigation report identified the cause of the non-conformity; described the preventive and corrective actions implemented to avoid a recurrence; and included a report attesting to the fitness-for-purpose of its GC/C/IRMS procedure following an on-site audit of the method’s validation report and standard operating procedure conducted by an independent external expert As a result, the Lab EAG ultimately confirmed that the Laboratory could resume application of the GC/C/IRMS method. WADA’s Executive Committee was informed of this recommendation prior to its 28 March 2025 meeting WADA is responsible for accrediting and re-accrediting anti-doping laboratories thereby ensuring that they maintain the highest quality standards This monitoring process is conducted in conjunction with the assessment of laboratory compliance with the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 by independent national accreditation bodies which are full members of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and signatories to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Agreement The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce the eight members who have been elected to WADA’s Athlete Council Group 2i for 2025-2027 The election was held virtually via an online voting platform between 10-12 December 2024 and was available only to International Federation (IF) Athlete Commissions (ACs) that were registered and deemed eligible to vote A total of 55 out of 60 IF ACs voted (91.7% participation rate) WADA President Witold Bańka said: “On behalf of WADA I would like to extend our congratulations to the eight athletes that have been elected to Group 2 of the Agency’s Athlete Council for 2025-2027 will apply their passion for clean sport and their commitment to amplifying athlete voices to ensure WADA remains focused on being athlete centered I look forward to getting to know the new members and to continuing our collaborative work with the Athlete Council.”    all of whom have been confirmed by the Election Scrutineer are listed below in alphabetical order by last name were both pleased to see that the voting process went smoothly and that there was good participation from IF ACs we would like to congratulate the eight Group 2 members elected by their peers and to the four members that have been re-elected We look forward to working with you all over the next three years and to further strengthening the collaborative relationship between the Athlete Council and WADA’s Athlete Engagement team We are heading into 2025 with an exciting Athlete Council Action Plan and a strong foundation of athlete-centered initiatives that will allow us to advance existing projects and begin new ones we also want to thank you for your keen interest in clean sport and in the work of the Athlete Council We encourage you to continue to be strong advocates for athletes and to consider opportunities to join the Athlete Council next year via the Group 3 appointment process we also wish to express our deepest gratitude for our outgoing members Your contributions to the Athlete Council and to other WADA projects and Committees were invaluable and we thank you again for your commitment to clean sport.”   Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our Athlete Engagement team at athlete@wada-ama.org. For more information on the Athlete Council, please visit our website [i] The Athlete Council is composed of the following three groups of athlete representatives:  Participants are encouraged to register by 14 February  The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce that online registration is now open for the Agency’s 2025 Annual Symposium to be held on 18-19 March 2025 at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne the Symposium is returning to an in-person only format in light of decreasing virtual attendance since the first hybrid version in 2022 WADA’s Annual Symposium is an interactive and practical event that offers anti-doping stakeholders the opportunity to convene and learn from WADA and from one another It is designed for anti-doping practitioners from International Federations National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations and Major Event Organizers; as well as and the media–all that are integral to clean sport Should you have any questions, please contact WADA's Event team at annualsymposium@wada-ama.org We look forward to welcoming many of you in Lausanne in March Further to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA's) communication on 13 January 2025 WADA wishes to provide an update on the compliance of the National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) of Pakistan and Uruguay and the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) [acting as NADO] At the end of the watchlist period, the non-conformities were still not resolved. Therefore, as per Article 9.2.3 of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS) WADA sent the ADOs formal notices of non-compliance The ADOs had 21 days following the date of receipt of the formal notice to dispute WADA’s allegation of non-compliance and/or the consequences and/or the conditions of reinstatement proposed by the Agency or accept the allegation of non-compliance the Uruguay NADO provided relevant information and documentation to WADA The Compliance Review Committee (CRC) reviewed these updates concluded that the critical corrective actions had now been corrected in full and subsequently recommended to the ExCo In the event that the ExCo follows the CRC’s recommendation the consequences will not come into effect the consequences will not apply until the ExCo makes a formal decision Pakistan NADO and Uganda Olympic Committee  WADA has received formal notifications from both the Pakistan NADO and the UOC that they intend to dispute the allegation of non-compliance against them WADA will refer the matters to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for its consideration in due course the consequences will not apply until CAS makes its ruling Should stakeholders have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please do not hesitate to contact us at compliance@wada-ama.org The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to officially announce the expansion of its Intelligence & Investigations (I&I) Department’s Capability and Capacity Building Project to the Asia and Oceania region The expansion of the project builds off the massive success of the I&I Capability and Capacity Building project in Europe and will involve anti-doping organizations (ADOs) and law enforcement agencies from 61 countries in Asia and Oceania The success of the European project led WADA in collaboration with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) and New Zealand’s Sport Integrity Commission to commit to the creation of a Global Anti-Doping Intelligence & Investigations Network (GAIIN) these operations dismantled 25 illicit laboratories and resulted in the seizure of 25 tons of performance enhancing drugs totaling an estimated 500 million doses the first of six advanced in-person workshops scheduled to take place in 2025 began earlier today on the Gold Coast of Australia The next workshop will be held in Saudi Arabia followed by two workshops each in both Thailand (hosted by Mahidol University) and India (hosted by the India National Anti-Doping Agency) said: “WADA is excited to launch this next phase of its groundbreaking Intelligence & Investigations Capability and Capacity Building Project in Asia and Oceania I would like to thank Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) New Zealand’s Sport Integrity Commission and our partners in Saudi Arabia Thailand and India for their commitment to this important initiative The success of the project in Europe laid the foundation for what we believe we can achieve in the rest of the world By developing capacity and strengthening relationships with law enforcement in these regions we hope that we will see similar success here We are eager to begin working with our partners in Asia and Oceania starting with the first workshop graciously hosted by SIA in Australia this week.”   The multi-phase project in Asia and Oceania will run over the next two years and will include online and in-person training of National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) and law enforcement officers with the objective of increasing in-house I&I capacity and supporting collaboration between NADOs and law enforcement agencies WADA will also coordinate and support operations conducted by law enforcement and NADOs and deliver a final conference funded by the Indian NADO to present the project’s outcomes said: “Sport Integrity Australia is proud to be partnering with WADA on this important initiative and we are pleased to be hosting the first advanced workshop of the Intelligence & Investigations Capability and Capacity Building Project in Asia and Oceania The specialized workshops will focus on key areas of doping investigations intelligence gathering and investigative capability They will also set the table for future collaborations between National Anti-Doping Organizations and law enforcement agencies throughout the Asia and Oceania region Hosting this event highlights Sport Integrity Australia's commitment to work closely with its international partners to build capability and share intelligence to create a protective ecosystem for sport against threats to integrity.”  It is intended that the Capability and Capacity Building Project and GAIIN will continue to be expanded internationally in the coming years including to the Americas in 2026/2027 and Africa in 2028/2029 Deadline to express interest: 31 May 2025  The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is calling upon interested organizations and cities/countries to host the Agency’s Foundation Board (Board) and Executive Committee (ExCo) meetings in 2026 and 2027 WADA’s governance structure includes a 42-member Board to which the Board delegates the management and running of the Agency The Board is composed equally of representatives from the Sport Movement and Governments A number of seats are also allocated to Athletes and National Anti-Doping Organization representatives The ExCo is similarly composed of Sport Movement and Government representatives including the President and the Vice-President Similar to the call issued in 2023 (for meetings in 2024 and 2025) WADA is calling for expressions of interest from potential hosts of its key governance meetings in 2026 and 2027 Stakeholders interested in hosting any of the above meeting editions are kindly requested to contact events@wada-ama.org WADA will provide potential hosts with a detailed specifications list to help guide stakeholders should they decide to submit a formal offer Interested stakeholders should be prepared to provide a meeting venue suitable for high-level governance meetings; hotel accommodations for WADA Members; logistical arrangements such as audiovisual and technical facilities WADA wishes to secure hosts of its 2026 and 2027 meetings as early as possible and encourages interested stakeholders to contact WADA by 31 May 2025 Should the specific 2026 or 2027 meeting date opportunities listed above not be feasible for potential hosts WADA still welcomes expressions of interest at any time and will maintain a log of interested hosts for other opportunities in the future hosted by the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee and Ministry of Sport of Saudi Arabia brought together 42 representatives of law enforcement agencies and National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) from 13 countries The Capability and Capacity Building Project is at the heart of the ongoing development of WADA’s Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) said: “WADA is pleased to be in Saudi Arabia for this important workshop We extend our sincere thanks to the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee and the Ministry of Sport of Saudi Arabia for their warm hospitality and leadership in hosting this event We are also grateful to our partners at INTERPOL and the Sport Integrity Commission of New Zealand for their participation and ongoing commitment to strengthening collaboration between NADO I&I experts and law enforcement across Asia and Oceania “Each workshop – and every opportunity to connect with our partners around the world – adds another layer to the Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) The level of engagement and insight from participants this week greatly enriched the discussions We look forward to building on this momentum with our partners in Asia and Oceania and I am confident the knowledge and tools shared here will make a tangible impact in protecting clean sport throughout the region.”  The specialized workshop addressed a range of I&I topics including core intelligence functions and investigative techniques as well as analytical and interviewing methods Participants also explored practical opportunities for collaboration between NADOs and law enforcement Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee said: “We are pleased to have had the opportunity to host WADA INTERPOL and our partners from the region for this week’s Intelligence and Investigations workshop Intelligence and Investigations capability and capacity are key elements of an effective anti-doping program We are honored to partake in meaningful discussions share best practices and create relationships that will ultimately play a vital role in future operations.”  The multi-phase project in Asia and Oceania will run over the next two years and will include online and in-person training of NADOs and law enforcement officers The expansion of the project builds off the success of the I&I Capability and Capacity Building project in Europe that was carried out from 2022-2024 and will involve anti-doping organizations (ADOs) and law enforcement agencies from 61 countries in Asia and Oceania The remaining four project workshops will be carried out in Thailand and India president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) attends a press conference at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is asked a question as he arrives for the State Dinner with President Joe Biden and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House normally distributed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy represent about 6% of WADA’s annual budget WADA statutes say representatives of countries that don’t pay are not eligible to sit on the agency’s top decision-making panels drug czar Rahul Gupta is listed as a member of the WADA executive committee Gupta told The Associated Press the ONDCP was “evaluating all our options,” and did not rule out eventually sending the money to WADA “WADA must take concrete actions to restore trust in the world antidoping system and provide athletes the full confidence they deserve,” he said we must ensure full accountability and it is our responsibility to ensure those funds are used appropriately.” Half of WADA’s budget is covered by the International Olympic Committee with the other half covered by governments across the world which receive 50% of the spots on key WADA governing committees the home country for WADA that puts in the second most money among the more than 180 countries that contribute The funding fight has been going on for at least the last six years with the talking points not much different between the Trump and Biden administrations A government study that came out in 2020 concluded Americans didn’t get their money’s worth from the contribution Congress gave the ONDCP discretion to withhold future funding with no other option after failing to deliver on several very reasonable requests such as an independent audit of WADA’s operations” in the wake of the Chinese doping saga Just as some of that rhetoric died down comes the news that the U.S is still deciding whether to pay its 2024 obligation And all of it comes against the backdrop of the United States preparing to play a large role in hosting international events The World Cup arrives in the country next year followed by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles “Now is the time to get WADA right to ensure these competitions on U.S and a pageantry of fair competition in which we can all have faith and confidence,” Tygart said He said WADA rules dictate that the money fight will not have any impact on U.S athletes’ ability to compete at home or abroad The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to publish the memberships of its Foundation Board (Board) and Executive Committee (ExCo) for 2025 WADA’s governance structure includes a 42-member Board and a 16-member ExCo the compositions of which are detailed below In cases where there are changes in Board or ExCo membership during the year the composition charts are updated accordingly and the information is reflected on WADA’s website Should you have any questions, please feel free to direct them to governance@wada-ama.org The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to publish its 2025-2029 Strategic Plan which lays the foundation for WADA’s strategic activity over the next five years under the theme ‘Going further together’ The Strategic Plan was agreed by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) and subsequently approved by the Agency’s Foundation Board when they met on  5 December 2024 This followed a 16-month consultation process during which WADA Management was committed to soliciting feedback from key stakeholders within the anti-doping ecosystem The goal was to develop a common understanding—amongst athletes representatives of the Sport Movement and Governments of the world and National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs)—of the progress WADA had made to date and to decide which priorities were to be targeted over the next five years WADA President Witold Bańka said: “WADA’s 2025-2029 Strategic Plan builds off the progress of the past few years and sets a clear direction for the Agency so it can continue to deliver on its primary role of developing harmonizing and coordinating anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries The Strategic Priorities laid out in the Plan are aligned with our renewed commitment to being athlete centered and collaborating with all our stakeholders across the globe as we work to strengthen the global anti-doping system for athletes We remain deeply committed to partnering in all that we do and look forward to seeing the ways in which we as an anti-doping community can go further together.”       WADA will action the following five Strategic Priorities:  WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “WADA takes its leadership role within the anti-doping ecosystem very seriously Understanding the evolving global trends is crucial for identifying relevant priorities while remaining agile enough to adjust and respond as necessary we are allocating our resources to areas where we can make the most impact The tremendous development of the anti-doping system over the past 25 years is proof that all stakeholders—sport and others—can work constructively together There is still much more to be done to secure a doping-free sporting environment for athletes worldwide I am very confident that WADA’s dedicated team members will work arm in arm with the community to go further together.”  WADA will focus on areas such as the following:    Election to be held via online voting platform between 10-12 December 2024  were both very pleased to see that the call for nominations attracted so many excellent candidates They said: “We are thrilled to see the level of interest in joining the Athlete Council WADA’s Athlete Engagement Department works in close collaboration with the Athlete Council to ensure that the athlete experience is captured in everything that we do We are looking forward to working with any new and/or returning members of Group 2 to kick off several key initiatives for athletes in 2025 The 26 candidates are listed below in alphabetical order by name Please note that candidate biographies will be published on our website and social media on Tuesday 19 November World Association of Kickboxing Organizations  International Ski and Snowboard Federation  International Committee of Sports for the Deaf  International Wheelchair Basketball Federation  International Bobsleigh Skeleton Federation  The election will be held virtually via an online voting platform between 10-12 December 2024 Only those IF ACs registered and deemed eligible will be able to vote The rules that govern the election can be found within the Election Procedure The official list of candidates was communicated directly to all AC Chairs of IFs that are Signatories to the Code earlier today at which time they were asked to advise if they wished to vote in the election all IF ACs are to meet the same criteria as an IF AC nominating a candidate The elected candidates will be confirmed by the Election Scrutineer and subsequently publicly announced by 20 December 2024 We wish all the candidates the best of luck with their campaigning and the election and we encourage all eligible IF ACs to vote Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our Athlete Engagement team at athlete@wada-ama.org. For more information on the Athlete Council, please visit our website (i) The Athlete Council is composed of the following three groups of athlete representatives: Group 1: Five athletes appointed by the International Olympic Committee’s and International Paralympic Committee’s ACs; Group 2: Eight athletes elected by IF ACs; and selected by an appointment panel made up by a majority of athletes The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) invites stakeholders to participate in a consultation process to revise the following Technical Document (TD) and Technical Letter (TL):  TD2025DBS - Dried Blood Spots (DBS) for Doping Control - Requirements and Procedures for Analytical Testing and Sample Storage  This TD has been revised to improve the formatting and also to make substantive changes to the following Article sections:   TL26 Clomifene - Instructions on the Analysis and Reporting of Clomifene Findings in Urine Samples  This new TL defines a new Minimum Reporting Level and analysis requirements for clomifene which is prohibited at all times and is classified under class S4.1 Anti-estrogenic Substances of the Prohibited List Stakeholders are invited to review and provide comments by 21 February 2025 using WADA’s online consultation platform, WADAConnect WADA-approved laboratories for the Athlete Biological Passport The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that on Thursday 26 September it lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of Italian tennis player who was found by an independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to bear no fault or negligence having twice tested positive for clostebol It is WADA’s view that the finding of “no fault or negligence” was not correct under the applicable rules WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance WADA will make no further comment at this time The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to announce two new additions to its Anti-Doping Education and Learning (ADEL) platform designed to enable Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) to educate youth athletes on the importance of clean sport: WADA’s Director of Education, Amanda Hudson, said: “It has been WADA’s ambition since the publication of the first International Standard for Education to develop content that would help ADOs expand the reach of their education programs particularly for ADOs that do not have the capacity to develop their own content WADA’s education programs now cover all stages of the athlete pathway enabling ADOs to educate athletes from the playground to the podium.”  Developed by a sub-group of WADA’s Education Committee we have released four downloadable resources designed for youth and talented-level athletes These new resources cover the following essential topics:  said: “These new downloadable resources mark a significant step towards improving accessibility to clean sport education Making content available offline embraces an inclusive approach that enables athletes and their support personnel that may not have full-time internet access to stay informed and compliant Downloadable on a computer or mobile phone these free resources make it possible to learn anytime and anywhere Please note: athletes under the age of 16 must use a parent or guardian’s email address to create an account on ADEL The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to publish the list of scientific research projects provisionally approved to receive a total of USD 1.4 million funding through the Agency’s Scientific Research Grant Program The 14 projects that have been selected for funding correspond to the first cycle of the 2024 Grant Program for which the Agency received a total of 70 expressions of interest (EOI) of which 32 were invited to submit full applications WADA’s Senior Director of Science and Medicine said: “WADA’s Scientific Research Grant Program is an integral part of the Agency’s commitment to stimulating and funding innovative scientific research to strengthen the global anti-doping system This is the first set of approved projects to come from our new EOI-based granting system launched in December 2023 and we are pleased with the increased attractiveness of the program and higher number of submissions received in particular from researchers outside of the traditional anti-doping circles The new system allows researchers to submit EOIs at any time during the year These EOIs are then reviewed in cycles throughout the year prior to selected projects being invited to submit full applications The second cycle of the 2024 Grant Program is in the final stage of its review process with recommended projects set to go to the Executive Committee for approval at its next meeting in December.”  Please note that WADA’s Call for Proposals for its 2025 Scientific Research Grant Program is presently ongoing. All details on 2025 cycle deadlines can be obtained by visiting our website The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that the following four NADOs have successfully addressed the non-conformities with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) that were asserted against them and have therefore been removed from the compliance watchlist:  *National Olympic Committee (NOC) acting as NADO   this gave the NADOs four additional months to execute their corrective action plans the non-conformities related to unresolved issues highlighted during the Code Compliance Questionnaire (CCQ) process from 2023 The case of Panama was related to national legislation that was not compliant with the Code Update on the compliance of the NADOs of Pakistan and Uruguay and the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC)   The NADOs of Pakistan and Uruguay and the UOC (acting as NADO) were also added to the compliance watchlist at the 12 September ExCo meeting due to outstanding non-conformities resulting from the 2023 CCQ and in the case of the UOC also due to national legislation that was not compliant with the Code At the end of the watchlist period (12 January 2025) WADA sent each of the three organizations a formal allegation of non-compliance on 13 January 2025 The corresponding proposed consequences and reinstatement conditions can be found below:  each of the organizations has 21 days to either dispute WADA’s allegation of non-compliance and/or the consequences and/or reinstatement conditions proposed by the Agency The decisions (including the consequences) will enter into force on 4 February 2025 unless the organizations address their non-conformities or challenge the decisions by 3 February 2025 at midnight EST the purpose of this communication is to provide sufficient time for other Signatories who may be impacted by these cases to prepare in case the consequences do come into effect on 4 February 2025 and WADA will update Signatories on or around 4 February 2025 The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) would like to remind stakeholders to register for the Agency’s 2025 Annual Symposium by 14 February 2025 (23:59 CET). The Symposium will be held on 18-19 March 2025 at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne Should you have any questions, please contact WADA's Event team at annualsymposium@wada-ama.org Agency to launch a ‘call for contributions’ in 2025 The Taskforce has the responsibility of providing expert advice and guidance towards an evidence-informed approach to the prevention of unintentional doping the Taskforce has begun laying the groundwork for its ‘Unintentional Doping Research Project’ which will seek to advance knowledge and understanding of the concept of unintentional doping the Taskforce will seek input from the anti-doping community and other relevant groups to:  Professor Backhouse said: “The Taskforce on Unintentional Doping is committed to developing a better understanding of the complex issue of unintentional doping as we know it leads to worry and anxiety amongst athletes across the world With a focus on preventing the behaviors that put athletes and their support personnel at risk of unintentional doping we want to draw upon multiple perspectives to help us address the current knowledge gaps and shape collective actions By better understanding the problem and establishing a system where we can globally measure unintentional doping trends we will be better placed to intervene in a targeted and tailored way.”  WADA’s Director of Education Amanda Hudson said: “WADA is pleased to announce the next steps of this crucial Social Science Research project This research initiative is fully aligned with WADA’s SSR Strategy and our efforts to support athletes and athlete support personnel navigate the anti-doping system WADA acknowledges that the anti-doping system is complex and that there are potential risks for athletes that can lead to unintentionally committing a doping violation By exploring the circumstances that lead to unintentional doping cases we hope to provide more informed guidance for Anti-Doping Organizations to both improve their anti-doping education programs whilst also identifying and implementing broader interventions that can help reduce the incidence We are grateful to the Fonds de recherche du Québec for its support in making this research project a reality.”  The mandate of the Taskforce will be extended in order to pursue this very important work WADA will be issuing a ‘call for contributions’ that will seek stakeholder input and evidence on unintentional doping from the anti-doping community that may be able to offer insight These contributions will then be considered by the Taskforce as part of the project.