WADA publishes its Five-Year Strategic Plan under the theme ‘Leading Anti-Doping in a New Era’

Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes its Five-Year Strategic Plan, which lays the foundation for WADA’s strategic activity for 2020-2024 as the Agency is ‘Leading Anti-Doping in a New Era’.

The Strategic Plan was agreed by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) when they met virtually on 15 May 2020; and, was subsequently approved unanimously by the Agency’s Foundation Board by circulatory vote.

Our journey of reflection and discovery

In May 2019, WADA initiated development of the Strategic Plan with a commitment to soliciting feedback from key stakeholders within the anti-doping ecosystem; such as: athletes; representatives of the Sports Movement and Governments of the world; industry influencers; as well as, National Anti-Doping Organizations and WADA-accredited laboratories. The feedback acknowledged how much WADA had achieved over its 20-year history; how the Agency’s growth had helped spur on the global movement for doping-free sport; and, it also identified a number of areas where WADA could improve or focus more.

WADA President Witold Banka said: “WADA is now in a completely different place than it was a few years ago thanks to the governance reform that the Agency initiated and to the strengthening of its compliance monitoring activities. While stakeholders recognize these achievements, there is consensus that WADA must go further to build bridges and unite efforts to protect athletes and the integrity of sports globally; and that, the Agency’s resources are not reflecting the magnitude of the challenges that we face.”

“The Strategic Priorities laid out in the Strategic Plan have been defined with athletes at the center and will shape the transformational journey that WADA will take over the next five years. Day in, day out, the Agency will continue to collaborate with athletes and all our partners worldwide to strengthen the World Anti-Doping Program. I am very committed to this Plan; most notably, to engaging and empowering athletes in developing Clean Sport; to building anti-doping capacity and community worldwide; and, to securing the additional funding that is required to deliver on Leading Anti-Doping in a New Era. I am confident that, with stakeholder collaboration and unity, we will succeed.”

Our Strategic Priorities

WADA defined the following Strategic Priorities, which address the key issues and challenges identified via our internal and external consultation:

1. Lead: Lead by example by taking bold steps to proactively tackle emerging issues with agility and innovative solutions across all facets of anti-doping.
2. Grow Impact: Expand the reach and impact of anti-doping programs by enhancing capacity building and knowledge sharing between Anti-Doping Organizations and empowering local program delivery.
3. Be Athlete-Centered:  Engage and empower athletes to contribute to the development of anti-doping policies, build an easier anti-doping journey for athletes, and increase the contribution that our programs deliver for athletes and their entourage so that they can build healthy and sustainable careers in sport.
4. Collaborate and Unite:  Engage and collaborate with everyone involved in anti-doping, in particular with the sports movement and public authorities, to increase support, unity and coherence in everyone’s efforts.
5. Be Visible: Raise awareness and shape a proactive narrative that will demonstrate the positive impact of doping-free sport and WADA’s role.
6. Perform: Provide greater value to our stakeholders by reducing operational complexities and maximizing impact and cost-effectiveness.

WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “Over the years, the WADA team has worked diligently with stakeholders to develop the World Anti-Doping Program. Although doping scandals in recent years have tested the resolve and unity of the anti-doping community, they ultimately served as a catalyst to strengthen the Program. They also demonstrated the persistent challenges of doping in sports worldwide; and, the importance and the need of reinforcing WADA’s leadership and capacity so that it can collaboratively deliver on its global mission for doping-free sport.”

“We are now engaging our 140+ talented and committed team members worldwide around the Strategic Plan. We want to be sure to mobilize the very best contributions from all of us in Leading Anti-Doping in a New Era.”