WADA publishes Independent Observer team report for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published its Independent Observer (IO) team report regarding the anti-doping program of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which were held in Paris, France from 26 July to 11 August 2024.  

WADA’s IO program is an important element of its monitoring of Major Event Organizations’ compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code, with IO teams providing an independent review of all aspects of the anti-doping programs as delivered at major events monitored around the globe. In addition to publishing this written report after the event, the team was also able to provide real-time feedback during the Games in a positive and collaborative way.  Reflecting on the implementation of the anti-doping program at the Games, the report also provides recommendations for possible improvements to the program for future Games. 

The anti-doping program of the Games was managed by the International Testing Agency (ITA) on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in conjunction with the Anti-Doping Department of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee and was supported by the Agence française de lutte contre le dopage (AFLD). WADA’s IO team collaborated with the various organizations to help strengthen the program. The team consisted of:  

• Mr. Darren Mullaly (Australia), Deputy CEO, Strategy and International Engagement, Sport Integrity Australia* (Chair);  
• Ms. Dan-Thanh Tran (Canada), Head of Testing Compliance, WADA (Vice-Chair);  
• Ms. Françoise Dagouret (Switzerland), Manager, Testing, WADA;  
• Dr. Maira Bakasheva (Kazakhstan), Director, Kazakhstan Anti-doping Centre;  
• Mr. Iñaki Gomez (Canada), two-time Olympian (race walking) and WADA Athlete Council member; and  
• Mr. Vinicius Sardela (Brazil), Senior Manager, Laboratory Operations, WADA.  

Mr. Mullaly said: “On behalf of the WADA Independent Observer team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, we would like to thank the athletes and athlete support personnel for allowing us to observe the doping control process. Anti-doping can at times be inconvenient, but their understanding and support as to the importance of our role enabled the team to ensure that sample collection was working in accordance with the rules under the World Anti-Doping Program. We would also like to thank the International Olympic Committee, the International Testing Agency, the Agence française de lutte contre le dopage, the Anti-Doping Department of the Paris Organizing Committee, the Laboratoire AntiDopage Français, and all the incredible individuals and volunteers who played their part in the anti-doping program. Your joint efforts to deliver a quality anti-doping program in the interests of clean sport were immense and are important to acknowledge.” 

The IO team observed all aspects of the Games’ anti-doping program, including:  

• Test distribution planning and implementation;  
• Recruitment and training of sample collection personnel;  
• Athlete selection, notification, and sample collection procedures;  
• Transport and chain of custody of samples;  
• Therapeutic Use Exemption procedures;  
• Results management; and 
• Laboratory operations.  

*Mr. Mullaly has since joined WADA as the Director of Government Relations, effective January 2025.