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WADA Executive Committee approves creation of Working Group on the Operational Independence of National Anti-Doping Organizations
Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announces that its Executive Committee (ExCo) has approved the creation, Terms of Reference and composition of the Working Group on the Operational Independence of National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs).
The creation of the Working Group on the Operational Independence of NADOs follows the recommendations from the Working Group on the Cottier Report, which were approved by the ExCo in December 2024; and included a recommendation to further explore the issue of NADO operational independence, including the structure of the various NADOs and the impact of good governance.
WADA President, Witold Bańka, said: “The Working Group on the Operational Independence of National Anti-Doping Organizations will spend at least the rest of 2025 analyzing the issue of NADO independence, which is mandatory under the World Anti-Doping Code. It will be tasked with further exploring the issue of operational independence, including the conflict of interest perceived by athletes when NADOs are in charge of supervising their own athletes due to take part in international sport events. Critically, the group will assess potential solutions, such as appropriate Code reforms or implementation guidance, and deliver actionable recommendations to WADA’s Executive Committee.”
“The hope is that their work will contribute to strengthening the ability of NADOs to take objective decisions and prevent undue external influence or pressure in the conduct of their anti-doping activities. The sporting and anti-doping communities should never have to question the impartiality of NADOs towards their own athletes. Above all, the Working Group is in place to ensure that this trust is built and maintained, so that athletes around the world are confident they are competing on a level playing field.”
The Working Group on the Operational Independence of NADOs will have a number of objectives and key activities, including:
- Reviewing the findings related to NADO operational independence arising from the Cottier Report, as well as the findings of the Anti-Doping Audit Review Committee to the World Aquatics Bureau dated 13 July 2024;
- Considering current NADO practices and developing specific recommendations to address recommendation 6.2 in the report of the Working Group on the Cottier Report;
- Reviewing the proposed changes related to the operational independence of NADOs that are part of the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and International Standards Update process and assessing whether any adjustments could be recommended;
- Reviewing the current WADA Guide for the Operational Independence of NADOs and proposing and drafting recommendations for inclusion where relevant; and
- Discussing potential improvements and best practices that could be recommended to address the perception of some athletes regarding a possible conflict of interest when NADOs are in charge of supervising their own athletes due to take part in international sport events.
The Working Group on the Operational Independence of NADOs met virtually for the first time on 28 May and is expected to deliver its recommendations to the ExCo ahead of WADA’s World Conference on Doping in Sport in December 2025.
Also stemming from the ExCo approved recommendations from the Working Group on the Cottier Report referenced above was the ExCo’s March 2025 approval of the creation, Terms of Reference and composition of the Working Group on Contaminations (WGC), which met for the first time on 27 May. This group is 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 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.
