What is World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)?

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Overview:

India has emerged as the country with the highest percentage of doping offenders, according to the 2022 testing figures released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

About World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA):

  • WADA was established in 1999 as an international independent agency to lead a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport. 
  • WADA’s governance and funding are based on an equal partnership between the sport movement and governments of the world.
  • WADA’s primary role is to develop, harmonize, and coordinate anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries. 
  • Its key activities include scientific research, education, the development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), the document harmonizing anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries.
  • Formation:

Afterthe events that shook the world of cyclingin the summer of 1998, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to convene a World Conference on Doping.

The First World Conference on Doping in Sport held, in Lausanne, Switzerland, on February 2-4, 1999, produced the Lausanne Declaration on Doping in Sport.

It provided for the creation of an independent international anti-doping agency to be operational for the Games of the XXVII Olympiad in Sydney in 2000.

Pursuant to the terms of the Lausanne Declaration, the WADA was established on November 10, 1999, in Lausanne to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sport internationally. 

  • WADA is a Swiss private law, not-for-profit foundation. Its seat is in Lausanne, Switzerland, and its headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.
  • Governance Structure:

A 42-member Foundation Board (Board), the agency’s highest policy-making body, is jointly composed of representatives of the Olympic Movement (the IOC, National Olympic Committees, International Sports Federations, and athletes) and representatives of governments from all five continents.

A 16-member Executive Committee (ExCo), to which the Board delegates the management and running of the agency, including the performance of all its activities and the administration of its assets.


Q1: What is the International Olympic Committee (IOC)?

The IOC is a not-for-profit independent international organisation that is committed to building a better world through sport. Created on 23 June 1894, just under two years before the first Olympic Games of the modern era in April 1896, the IOC is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement.

Source: India tops list of doping offenders in 2022: WADA anti-doping report