The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and WHO have signed a four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to allow experts from both international organisations to collaborate and share information on issues where anti-doping and public health intersect.

The MoU was signed in Geneva, Switzerland, by WADA president Witold Banka and WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus. 

What is WADA?

• The World Anti-Doping Agency was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world. Its key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) — the document harmonising anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries.

• The organisation’s headquarters is in Montreal, Canada.

• WADA is composed of a foundation board, an executive committee and several committees.

• The 42-member foundation board is WADA’s supreme decision-making body. It is composed equally of representatives from the Olympic Movement and governments.

• The foundation board delegates the actual management and running of the agency, including the performance of activities and the administration of assets, to the executive committee, WADA’s ultimate policy-making body.

• The 12-member executive committee is also composed equally of representatives from the Olympic Movement and governments.

• WADA’s presidency — a volunteer position — alternates between the Olympic Movement and governments.

• WADA’s committees act as advisory committees and provide guidance for the agency’s programmes.

Highlights of the agreement with WHO

• The agreement will run until October 1, 2027 and provides a framework of cooperation between WHO and WADA to further their goals, specifically with regards to health promotion, the prevention of substance abuse and emerging drugs, and the promotion of clean sport.

• It covers themes that include prevention and assessment of health risks associated with psychoactive substance use and related disorders.

• The partners will raise awareness through education initiatives with the support of goodwill ambassadors and influencers to drive positive change.

• They will address sub-standard and falsified medical products, including identification of new emerging psychoactive drugs through sharing of information, mutual support, and engagement with sport federations.

• They will report on abuse and misuse of falsified and sub-standard medical products in sport. 

Does India have an anti-doping agency?

• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was set up in India as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act of 1890 on November 24, 2005 with a mandate for dope-free sports in India. 

• The objectives are to implement anti-doping rules as per WADA code, regulate dope control programme, to promote education and research and creating awareness about doping and its ill-effects.

The primary functions of NADA are:

i) Implement the Anti-Doping Code to achieve compliance by all sports organisations in the country.

ii) Coordinate dope testing programme through all participating stakeholders.

iii) Promote anti-doping research and education to inculcate the value of dope-free sports.

iv) Adopt best practice standards and quality systems to enable effective implementation and continual improvement of the programme.

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