21 March 2025 - The effectiveness of the independent testing programme put in place for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 was widely acknowledged during the 144th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session during its third day of meetings.
Addressing the IOC Members, ITA Chair Dr Valérie Fourneyron highlighted how Paris 2024 had set a new standard, with the most rigorous clean sport programme ever implemented. Thanks to international cooperation, pre-Games measures ensured that 90 per cent of athletes had been tested before they competed. Special attention was given to high-risk sports and delegations, ensuring a thorough approach.
During the Games, the percentage of tested athletes reached a historic high, with more than 6,100 samples collected from competitors representing 200 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the Refugee Olympic Team.
“To further strengthen fair play, all NOCs received guidance on clean sport education, helping them properly prepare their athletes and support personnel,” said Fourneyron. “Another key factor in the success of this initiative was the excellent cooperation with the Organising Committee and the French authorities,” she added.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Bańka also commended the work of the ITA, as well as International Federations and Anti-Doping Organisations worldwide, in the lead-up to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
It was the most robust pre-Games testing programme in Olympic history. The standard has been set for 2026 and beyond. We look forward to continued collaboration with the ITA in the build-up to Milano Cortina.
Witold Bańka - World Anti-Doping Agency President
ITA: eight years to build an independent anti-doping model
The ITA was established in 2018 with the support of USD 30 million in funding from the IOC. In June 2024, the IOC allocated a new USD 10 million fund to further support the development of the Agency over the next four years (2025-2028).
Reflecting on the last eight years, Dr Fourneyron, whose term finishes at the end of 2025, explained how Olympic Agenda 2020 set out a new path in anti-doping and initiated a shift in the approach used to protect athletes and safeguard the integrity of sport.
“In 2018, the ITA was born from a blank slate. The belief in an independent anti-doping model was further reinforced when the IOC led by example by entrusting its entire anti-doping programme to the ITA,” she said. “This was not merely a delegation of responsibility - it was a statement to the world. A statement declaring that clean sport is non-negotiable,” she added.
Following the IOC’s lead, many International Sports Federations and event organisers then chose to delegate their anti-doping programmes to the ITA.
“Over time, trust was built. Independence was asserted - not only in our operational work but also in our governance. Expertise, transparency and compliance became our guiding principles, with one unwavering priority: the athletes,” Fourneyron said.
“Today, the ITA stands as the leading global anti-doping agency for the delivery of anti-doping programmes for sport,” she continued.
Our mission goes beyond ensuring compliance. Through the development of dedicated software and tools, investment in data analysis and IT security, we are helping shape the future of clean sport.
Dr Valérie Fourneyron - ITA Chair
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Bańka
The Road Ahead: Strength in Unity
Fourneyron concluded her address with a call for unity.
“The ITA has now come of age, but the challenge ahead is to ensure it continues to evolve and strengthen. We must go faster, further, stronger—and that will only be possible together,” she said.
She called upon the IOC, the international sporting community, WADA, public authorities and private sector stakeholders to continue to join forces to uphold the values of sport.
“Our strategic roadmap will guide us forward, beginning with delivering clean sport at the Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina, in Dakar for the Youth Games, in Riyadh for the inaugural Esports Games and in Los Angeles. These events will benefit from increased anti-doping expertise—shaped by the knowledge we have gained over the years,” Fourneyron concluded.
Witold Bańka started his speech by thanking President Bach for his unfailing support in the fight against doping during his time leading the IOC.
“You have made anti-doping policy a priority throughout your presidency, despite complex and difficult situations faced along the way,” Bańka said.
The Olympic Agenda has emphasised the importance of clean sport and has helped advance anti-doping standards around the world. It has secured additional funding for intelligence and investigations and scientific research.
Witold Bańka - World Anti-Doping Agency President
Moving forward with the creation of a Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network
Bańka gave a comprehensive update on the activities of WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations department, which has led some key investigations since its creation in 2017.
“The results have gone far beyond our expectations”, Bańka explained. “It has led to more than 100 successful operations, the dismantling of 25 illicit laboratories, the seizure of 25 tonnes of Prohibited Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), the identification of 60 tonnes of PED trafficking through organised criminal network disruptions, and the removal of more than 500 million doses from the global market. Our work in this area is a fantastic development and a big win for clean sport.”
As a result, WADA is moving forward with the creation of a Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network.
“By 2029, WADA will have created the largest global network of investigators in the world, increasingly uncovering activities that threaten clean sport”, Bańka said.
Keeping a watchful eye on other threats
The WADA President reaffirmed the need to protect the values of clean sport and cautioned against the idea of “Enhanced Games”, describing them as both dangerous and irresponsible.
“WADA wholeheartedly condemns it. The health and well-being of athletes is WADA’s number one priority. This event would jeopardise both,” he said. “Athletes serve as role models, and WADA believes this proposition would send the wrong signal to young people around the world.”
An ambitious strategic plan
With its 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, WADA has laid out the goals it wants to achieve over the next five years.
One important milestone will be the finalisation of the new World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards, which will enter into force on 1 January 2027.
“Throughout the Code’s Stakeholder Consultation Process, we have received nearly 2,000 comments from more than 40 countries. This is a reminder that this core document does not belong to WADA. It belongs to all of us. And it is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together,” Bańka said.
Another area of importance is the values-based education and awareness programmes that ensure athletes and their entourage are more informed than ever about the dangers of doping and the importance of maintaining the integrity of sport. Bańka explained how more and more Anti-Doping Organisations around the world are adopting this mindset, which helps prevent both inadvertent and intentional doping.
“More than 362,000 athletes are completing courses on WADA’s Anti-Doping Education and Learning platform. It features 19 courses, available in more than 50 languages. It is a demonstration of WADA’s commitment to educating young athletes about clean sport,” Bańka explained.
He concluded his speech with a reminder of how vital partnerships are in the ongoing fight against doping.
“WADA's sustainability depends not only on the sports movement and public authorities, but also on expanding relationships with the private sector,” he said.
“WADA stands by its transparency and commitment to integrity. Our focus must remain on athletes and ensuring a level playing field. We will continue to apply the rules fairly, regardless of the sport, country or individuals involved,” he concluded.
