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WADA shares outcomes from National Anti-Doping Organization Advisory Group Meeting

On 7-8 October, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) Advisory Group met at WADA’s headquarters in Montreal – for the second time in 2019 – to discuss matters of interest to NADOs worldwide. The Group, which is chaired by Rune Andersen of Anti-Doping Norway and is comprised of 10 NADO experts from around the world, provides advice and guidance to WADA Management with respect to NADOs within the global anti-doping community.

The main outcomes from the Group’s two-day meeting include the following:

  • The Group supports WADA in following the established processes of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS) with regards to the compliance process for the Russian AntiDoping Agency (RUSADA).
  • The Group recognizes the importance of the first steps in the WADA governance reform process and encourages WADA to continue evaluating its governance, particularly regarding athlete and NADO representation.
  • The Group recommends that WADA and the Institute of National AntiDoping Organisations (iNADO) continue to explore areas of collaboration; such as, the development of guidelines and tools to assist NADOs in addressing various issues, including athlete engagement and operational independence.
  • The Group encourages developed NADOs to support and assist smaller, developing NADOs in implementing quality antidoping programs that are compliant with the World AntiDoping Code; and, to work with WADA to ensure these program development activities are conducted in a strategic and coordinated way.

The Group also received an update from Benjamin Cohen, Director General of the International Testing Agency (ITA). The NADO Advisory Group and the ITA agreed that collaboration between NADOs and International Federations is critical to ensuring that athletes are exposed to quality anti-doping programs.

Outcomes of the Group’s meeting have been submitted to WADA’s Executive Committee and Foundation Board members in advance of their upcoming meetings during the week of the World Conference on Doping in Sport, which will take place in Katowice, Poland from 5-7 November 2019.