WADA enters into compliance agreement with Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to enter into a compliance agreement with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) of Canada following the OPC’s inquiries as to how Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) may use athletes’ information collected under the terms of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code). 

As part of its collaborative discussions with the OPC, WADA has agreed to certain prospective compliance measures under this compliance agreement. In reaching this agreement voluntarily, WADA points out that the revised Code, which comes into force on 1 January 2027, clarifies that personal information stored in the Anti-Doping Administration Management System [ADAMS] may only be used for anti-doping purposes, a fact that is being communicated to ADOs. 

A WADA spokesperson said: “WADA is pleased to have worked collaboratively with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada in reaching this mutually agreeable resolution. WADA takes the privacy of athletes’ data very seriously and has always maintained compliance with applicable privacy laws, including Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). WADA has not admitted to any contravention of privacy rules in Canada or elsewhere, but it is committed to working with regulators to address evolving privacy best practices. 

“WADA’s decision to enter into this agreement does not constitute acceptance of the OPC's jurisdiction over the matters addressed in this process, and WADA expressly reserves its rights in that regard. However, WADA is fully committed to satisfying all obligations within this compliance agreement.”