WADA hosts final Asia and Oceania region Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network workshop in Thailand

This week, members of WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) Department were in Bangkok, Thailand, for the last of six workshops as part of the expansion of its Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAINN) in Asia and Oceania.    

The five-day workshop was hosted by Mahidol University, in partnership with International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). The workshop brought together nearly 30 representatives of law enforcement agencies and National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) from across the region.   

The participants identified opportunities for collaboration between NADOs and law enforcement and focused on a number of important I&I topics, including but not limited to: 

• Intelligence functions and investigative techniques;  
• Confidential source management;  
• Open-source research; and  
• Analytical and interviewing methods.   

WADA Director, Intelligence and Investigations, Günter Younger, said: “This week’s workshop is the culmination of what has proven to be an impactful entry into the Asia and Oceania regions for WADA’s Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network project. We were optimistic when we kicked off the first of six workshops in March 2025 that we could replicate the success we had in Europe in recent years. Thanks to the engagement and commitment of all the participants and organizations we have worked with across Asia and Oceania in 2025, I believe we have done just that. The institutional knowledge gained, newly forged relationships between National Anti-Doping Organizations and law enforcement, and the willingness to increase intelligence and investigations capacity throughout the regions will undoubtedly be felt in the months and years to come.  

“I would like to once again thank Mahidol University for hosting this week, as well as our colleagues in Australia, India and Saudi Arabia who held workshops over the course of the past few months. We are also appreciative of the backing of our partners at INTERPOL, who have fully supported WADA in this important endeavor. It is a shining example of what we can achieve when we work collaboratively towards a common objective.” 

More about GAIIN 

The expansion of GAIIN stems from the success of the I&I Capability and Capacity Building project in Europe that was carried out from 2022-2024. This phase of GAINN’s expansion involves anti-doping organizations and law enforcement agencies from every country in Asia and Oceania. The next phase will take place in the Americas in 2026-2027, and will conclude in Africa in 2028-2029.