WADA works with partners to promote clean sport at 2025 African Junior Swimming Championship

Last week, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) collaborated with the Egyptian National Anti-Doping Organization (EGY-NADO), Africa Aquatics and Africa-based broadcaster SuperSport to promote clean sport during the 16th Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming Championship. This edition of the biannual continental competition took place in Cairo, Egypt, from 30 April to 3 May, and welcomed 400 young athletes and their support personnel from all around Africa. 

As part of the collaboration, WADA played a key role in supporting an anti-doping awareness workshop, which was delivered by EGY-NADO. The workshop included presentations in English, French and Arabic and was aimed at educating athletes and support personnel on a number of topics, namely clean sport values and athletes’ rights and responsibilities; the Prohibited List; the doping control process; Therapeutic Use Exemptions; and Anti-Doping Rule Violations. 

Director of WADA’s Africa Office, Rodney Swigelaar, said: “WADA is pleased to have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with the Egyptian National Anti-Doping Organization, Africa Aquatics and SuperSport to promote clean sport initiatives during this year’s Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming Championship. Educating and engaging with young athletes is essential to ensuring they are well informed and that their first experience with anti-doping is a positive one. We are once again grateful for the support provided by SuperSport in promoting and supporting clean sport initiatives throughout Africa.” 

As it has done on a number of occasions since partnering with WADA in April 2022, SuperSport provided direct funding and in-kind support to promote clean sport initiatives and engage athletes during the four-day championship. Its contribution assisted with funding the anti-doping awareness booth that was available for the duration of the event, as well as the production of a number of promotional materials that were distributed to athletes throughout the week. The booth featured a quiz which tested athletes’ knowledge of anti-doping rules, provided the opportunity to receive other anti-doping information and to complete fun challenges. 

CEO of EGY-NADO, Iman Gomaa, said: “The Egyptian NADO is grateful for the support provided by WADA and SuperSport to promote clean sport during this year’s Junior Swimming Championships. It is crucial that we support and engage young athletes whenever the opportunity presents itself. Additionally, this event provided an excellent opportunity for our educators to engage with international athletes from all around the continent to learn from their experience and further their understanding of anti-doping.” 

President of Africa Aquatics, Dr. Mohamed Diop, said: “Our youth athletes represent the future of sport in Africa, and by working collaboratively to help them navigate their first interactions with the anti-doping process, the hope is that we have built a strong foundation that they will carry with them to future major events. For this, we deeply appreciate the support provided by WADA, SuperSport and the Egyptian NADO.” 

As part of the awareness campaign, EGY-NADO also invited well-known professional athletes to participate in the event as ambassadors promoting clean sport. Among the group was renowned Egyptian swimmer Farida Osman, a three-time Olympian, African Games gold medalist and Egyptian national champion and record-holder.