WADA meets with partners in Jamaica and Cayman Islands to discuss Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network workshops

Last week, the Director of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) independent Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) Department, Günter Younger, met with partners from the governments of the Jamaica and the Cayman Islands to discuss those countries’ interest in hosting Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) initiative workshops in 2027.

Led by WADA I&I, the GAIIN project is a global initiative designed to enhance cooperation, intelligence-sharing, and investigative capabilities among anti-doping organizations and law enforcement authorities worldwide. It builds off the success of the I&I Capability and Capacity Building Project in Europe and Asia/Oceania.

Since its inception, GAIIN has supported more than 225 operations and contributed to the seizure of more than 78 tonnes of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and dismantling of 75 illicit laboratories, clearly demonstrating the power of collaboration when law enforcement agencies and National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) work together.

During the visit, the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission signed a joint declaration of intent to host a workshop in September 2027, which was endorsed by the Honourable Olivia Grange, Jamaican Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports and member of WADA’s Foundation Board. Meanwhile, WADA I&I met with the Honourable Isaac Rankine, Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage for the Cayman Islands Government, to discuss their interest in hosting a workshop in June 2027.

Mr. Younger said: “It was a pleasure to meet with our partners from Jamaica and the Cayman Islands as it pertains to the continued development of the Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network. Both the Cayman and Jamaican governments, and the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission, have been strong partners to WADA and have played a leading role in the protection of clean sport in the Caribbean over the years.“The expansion of GAIIN into the Americas region has been met with great enthusiasm, and I am confident the workshops that will take place in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica in 2027 will lay a strong foundation for future success in the region. We are appreciative of the interest being shown and look forward to finalizing plans for both workshops in the months ahead.” 

The tentatively scheduled workshops would follow those scheduled for November 2026 in Peru and March 2027 in Ecuador, which were announced last year. Similar to past GAIIN meetings, the workshops will be tailored to the needs of the region and focus on intelligence functions and investigative techniques, confidential source management, open-source research, and analytical and interviewing methods.