Following the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) fifth World Conference on Doping in Sport in Katowice, Poland, a new World Anti-Doping Code was approved, with the Executive Committee approving the International Standards which will come into effect on 1 January 2021.

The Code is the fundamental and universal document upon which the World Anti-Doping Programme is based, which serves to advance anti-doping efforts through universal harmonization of core anti-doping elements. 

Following the approvals, a ‘Katowice Declaration’ was signed which calls upon “all stakeholders in the fight against doping in sport, including the Sports Movement, Governments, Anti-Doping Organizations and athletes to reinforce their efforts to strengthen their cooperation in every possible way; to present a unified front to strive to eradicate doping in sport; to increase resources dedicated to protecting clean sport; and to bring all perpetrators to account, without limitation.”



WADA has since 2017 been working on the Anti-Doping code, having initiated a transparent revision process which consisted of three distinct consultation phases: two for the related International Standards and one for the Athletes’ Anti-Doping Rights Act, previously known as the Anti-Doping Charter of Athlete Rights. During this time, stakeholders had multiple opportunities to contribute and make recommendations on how to further strengthen the global anti-doping programme.

Thousands of athletes and stakeholders around the world were consulted, with a Drafting Team comprised of senior WADA staff and external experts, combined with opinions from legal experts, together creating the code in what was a two-and-a-half year process.



EUSA emphasises anti-doping and encourages clean sport at all its events, and has also been involved in two continental anti-doping projects, namely the European Anti-Doping Initiative and Match Point. 



In addition to the Code being approved, the Conference also saw a new President and Vice-President of WADA being elected, with former elite runner and Poland’s Minister for Sport and Tourism, Witold Banka taking up the reins as WADA President and double Olympic gold-medallist in short-track speed skating Yang Yang elected as Vice-President, with both officially beginning their mandate on January 1 2020.