WADA hosts eighth annual Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network meeting in Montreal

Last week, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) hosted the eighth annual session of the Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (ADIIN) Expert Group in Montreal, Canada. 

The 2024 session, which ran from 2-3 October, gathered approximately 25 participants, who came from National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs), International Federations, the International Testing Agency (ITA), and other organizations, as well as WADA’s I&I Department, to discuss ongoing investigations and share their respective experiences.                          

WADA Director, Intelligence and Investigations, Gunter Younger, said: “The annual Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations network Expert Group session is a vital opportunity for experts across the anti-doping community to come together, collaborate, and share critical insights. The open dialogue and innovative thinking demonstrated by the participants will greatly contribute to shaping effective policies and practices in the years to come. We remain committed to supporting these joint efforts to ensure a clean and fair sporting environment for athletes of the world.” 

WADA Head of Investigations, Mathieu Holz, said: “The eighth session of the network built on the progress that was made during the 2023 session in Monaco. Intelligence and Investigation practitioners from various Anti-Doping Organizations, as well as third-party delegates, discussed possible strategies to compel athletes who have committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) to attend interviews. The outcomes of this collective reflection will be shared with the Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network Steering Committee, and with the relevant drafting teams, as part of the 2027 Code and International Standards Update Process with a view to further strengthening the system.” 

This year’s session in Montreal marked a significant step forward in enhancing collective strategies for targeting sample manipulations. In addition, WADA’s Investigations Unit led breakout sessions on sample manipulation. Participants walked through the different phases of an investigation, raising their awareness on this specific type of ADRV. ADIIN Expert Group feedback and discussion will feed dedicated guidelines on sample manipulation ADRVs. 

To complement these discussions, the group heard from several experts, including those representing the Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses, the ITA, Sports Integrity Australia and Major League Baseball. 

About ADIIN 

In 2017, in order to further harmonize and strengthen the investigation of doping in sport worldwide, WADA I&I started building ADIIN to serve as a global resource to assist Anti-Doping Organizations in conducting investigations, and to identify and promote best-practice investigative standards.