Standing up together for clean sport: The ITA enters collaboration with Drug Free Sport New Zealand

In line with its commitment to further enhance clean sport efforts worldwide through close cooperation with national and regional anti-doping organisations, the ITA has signed a collaboration agreement with Drug Free Sport New Zealand, the country’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO). The new partnership focuses on harmonising testing efforts to ensure an effective allocation of resources and intelligence-led programs at both national and international levels.

The collaboration also supports the exchange of information between the ITA and DFSNZ which will benefit both potential investigations and intelligence-led doping controls in New Zealand and for the country’s athletes.

“The ITA recognises Drug Free Sport New Zealand as a strong partner in the Oceania-Pacific region. We look forward to collaborating with DFSNZ to increase our impact in this part of the world and to promote the fight against doping in New Zealand and across the continent,” says ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen. “As DFSNZ has recently established an athlete commission, this partnership might also provide opportunities for New Zealand athletes competing at the international level to take part in our activities in the region and provide useful feedback on our anti-doping programs for the Olympics and for International Federations.”

“We have already worked successfully with the ITA on a number of occasions in Clean Sport education, bringing together our joint expertise, and we are now pleased to formalise our collaboration,” says DFSNZ Chief Executive Nick Paterson. “Our continued focus on putting athletes at the centre of our work will benefit from closer coordination of testing, as well coordinated support through the Oceania region for the member countries and their athletes.”

The ITA has already established bilateral collaboration agreements with over 25 NADOs and has partnered with over 40 NADOs and RADOs over the past year to deliver advanced training and certification to their workforce. The ITA strongly believes that the anti-doping community is able to bring the support of athletes to the next level by working hand-in-hand with all other anti-doping organisations. Consequently, the ITA will continue to welcome to its network any National Anti-Doping Organisation that wishes to strengthen synergies between national and international level anti-doping programs.