Media information on the ITA Paris 2024 anti-doping program

The ITA is an international organisation constituted as a not-for-profit foundation, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Its mission is to manage anti-doping programs, independent from sporting or political powers and any real or perceived conflicts of interest, for International Federations (IFs), Major Event Organisers (MEOs) and all other anti-doping organisations requesting support.

We are a fair, transparent and intelligence-led organisation that has the welfare of athletes, the integrity of events and the reputation of sporting bodies at its heart. We gather together subject experts with significant experience in the field to help support the best sporting experience in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code and its connected International Standards.

The ITA began its operations in July 2018 as the result of a desire for a united approach to keeping sport clean.

In accordance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s anti-doping regulations applicable for the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024, the IOC has handed over its entire anti-doping program to the ITA in order for it to be managed independently by dedicated experts that carry their know-how from one edition of the Games to another. The ITA is not only responsible for handling the pre-Games and Games-time anti-doping programs for all editions of the Olympic Games, but also leads re-analysis and long-term storage projects for the IOC.

The ITA has already implemented the anti-doping program for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, and for all editions of the Summer and Winter Youth Olympic Games since the beginning of its operations.

For Tokyo 2020, the ITA has led the most extensive anti-doping program ever implemented for an edition of the Olympic Games. The same comprehensive, intelligence-led approach will be applied to the anti-doping program for Paris 2024.

It is divided into the following stages:

Pre-Games

The ITA Paris 2024 Pre-Games Program supports worldwide anti-doping efforts ahead of the Games to ensure that athletes likely to participate in the event are subject to a robust and risk-proportionate testing regime. The ITA-appointed Pre-Games Expert Group supports this work by addressing potential gaps and issuing testing recommendations to all relevant anti-doping organisations around the world. For the first time, the ITA has also appointed a supervisory panel to support and monitor the work of the ITA Paris 2024 Pre-Games expert group, ensuring a broad representation to help strengthen anti-doping measures in this important phase ahead of the Games.

3-month Testing Authority ahead of the Games

The IOC and the ITA have secured an extended testing jurisdiction for the IOC allowing the ITA to conduct additional testing to take place three months ahead of Paris 2024. During this extended jurisdiction, targeted testing can be implemented directly by the ITA to address any potential gaps.

Games-time anti-doping activities

The ITA will continue its intelligence-led pre-Games work on-site in the French capital and other Paris 2024 venues based on a multi-factor risk assessment, implementing out- and in-competition testing throughout the event, and plans on collecting approximately 6’000 samples. The ultimate number of collected samples will be determined by various factors on the ground, including any intelligence and information received. All doping controls are targeted and unannounced.

Long-term storage and re-analysis

All samples collected during Games-time will be stored for up to ten years and can be re-analysed if indicated or through the systematic re-analysis programs that have been implemented for all editions of the Olympic Games.

To deliver a robust and comprehensive anti-doping program for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the ITA is collaborating with various organisations. Here is a summary of the roles and responsibilities of each one of them (click here for full view):

The foundations of the testing program for Paris 2024 are based upon a physiological/pharmacological risk assessment carried out by the ITA across all sports/disciplines. The risk assessment also takes into account data such as participating countries, risks and history of doping in these countries, testing statistics in these countries as well as intelligence received, and other factors. This risk assessment is a very fine-tuned instrument that the ITA has developed and serves as an indicator to target high-risk sports and countries.

The ITA plans on collecting approximately 6’000 urine, blood and dried-blood-spot samples during the Games-time period.

The samples collected during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be analysed for substances as defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List.

Samples collected during the Games can be analysed for genetic doping if the physiological/pharmacological risk assessment or other information received indicate such an analysis.

For genetic doping analysis to be allowed in France, the National Assembly has voted in favour of a dedicated article of a bill related to the Olympic Games, thus conforming with the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code into French law by authorising the French Anti-Doping Laboratory to carry out these analyses.

Over 50 doping control stations will be put in place at the various venues of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The WADA-accredited anti-doping laboratory in Paris (LADF) will analyse all the samples collected by the ITA in France. The laboratory is an entity independent of the ITA. It is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency and under its monitoring. The LADF adheres to the highest standards and protocols as set forth in the International Standard for Laboratories.

The samples collected by the ITA and its implementing partners during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be stored in a dedicated long-term storage (LTS) facility. Over the past decade, LTS of samples has emerged as one of the most impactful strategies to protect clean athletes and deter doping. Today, under the World Anti-Doping Code, samples can be stored for up to 10 years after their initial analysis and still retain the same legal impact if re-tested and prosecuted. This allows them to be re-analysed for previously undetected substances, should scientific breakthroughs enable new technologies and analysis methods.

Altogether, around 1,000 persons will be involved in delivering the Games-time anti-doping program for Paris 2024:

• The delegation of ITA experts
• The Paris 2024 anti-doping team
• The team of the French National Anti-doping Organisation (AFLD)
• Circa 300 Doping Control Officers (DCOs) – one-third French DCOs from the AFLD, two-thirds international DCOs. All DCOs working in Paris are ITA-certified
• Circa 600 Chaperones, who are responsible for notifying athletes that they have been selected for doping control and accompanying them to the doping control station as well as supporting other aspects of the anti-doping process

The doping control personnel and volunteers acting as chaperones are under the responsibility of the Organising Committee for Paris 2024, with whom the ITA works closely regarding the implementation of the ITA-led anti-doping program.

The ITA (on behalf of the IOC) is responsible for the results management and subsequent prosecution of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV) committed by any athlete, athlete support personnel or other person entered to participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024, under the jurisdiction of the IOC and as per the IOC Anti-Doping Rules.

Accordingly, any ADRV (eg. presence/ use of a prohibited substance tampering, refusing sample collection etc.) will be duly processed by the ITA and brought before the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD) as applicable.

The ITA will publish all anti-doping rule violations following the decision and publication by CAS ADD on this website (link will follow soon).

The Anti-Doping Rules for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 can be found here.

The Arbitration Rules applicable to the CAS Anti-Doping Division for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 can be found here.

The ITA plans and implements the anti-doping program for Paris 2024 in strict compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code, its connected International Standards and the IOC’s anti-doping rules for Paris 2024.

Furthermore, the ITA collaborates closely with WADA’s Independent Observer team before and during the Games to ensure that any corrective actions they might suggest are implemented swiftly to the benefit of the full compliance and quality of the anti-doping program for Paris 2024.