WADA announces research projects funded through first cycle of 2024 Scientific Research Grant Program

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to publish the list of scientific research projects provisionally approved to receive a total of USD 1.4 million funding through the Agency’s Scientific Research Grant Program.   

The 14 projects that have been selected for funding correspond to the first cycle of the 2024 Grant Program, for which the Agency received a total of 70 expressions of interest (EOI), of which 32 were invited to submit full applications. 

Approval of these projects followed a robust review process, which included recommendations from external peer reviewers and WADA’s Science & Medicine team, followed by recommendations from the Agency’s Health, Medical & Research Committee, and final approval by the Executive Committee at its September meeting. More details on the approved projects will be published on WADA’s website in the coming months once the individual contracts are signed.  

WADA’s Senior Director of Science and Medicine, Prof. Olivier Rabin, said: “WADA’s Scientific Research Grant Program is an integral part of the Agency’s commitment to stimulating and funding innovative scientific research to strengthen the global anti-doping system. This is the first set of approved projects to come from our new EOI-based granting system launched in December 2023, and we are pleased with the increased attractiveness of the program and higher number of submissions received, in particular from researchers outside of the traditional anti-doping circles. The new system allows researchers to submit EOIs at any time during the year. These EOIs are then reviewed in cycles throughout the year prior to selected projects being invited to submit full applications. The second cycle of the 2024 Grant Program is in the final stage of its review process, with recommended projects set to go to the Executive Committee for approval at its next meeting in December.” 

Please note that WADA’s Call for Proposals for its 2025 Scientific Research Grant Program is presently ongoing. All details on 2025 cycle deadlines can be obtained by visiting our website.