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14 July 2025
The Board also marked a key member transition, welcoming Ms. Dagmawit Girmay Berhane as its new International Olympic Committee (IOC) Representative. Ms. Berhane succeeds Professor Uğur Erdener, who has served in this role since the ITA’s founding. A prominent figure in international sports and public health services, Ms. Berhane has been named one of the 100 Most Influential African Women Leaders in 2023. Ms. Berhane has served as the president of the Ethiopian Olympic Committee from 2004 to 2008. Currently, she holds senior roles within the IOC, including membership on the Human Rights Advisory Committee and Audit Committee. Her experience in sport governance and policy will further strengthen the ITA’s mission to uphold independence, integrity, and fairness in anti-doping operations. “It is an honour to join the ITA Foundation Board and to contribute to its vital mission of protecting clean sport,” noted Ms. Berhane. “Having served within the Olympic Movement for many years, I deeply value the principles of fairness, respect, and integrity that unite athletes around the world. I look forward to supporting the ITA’s efforts to uphold these values through independent and collaborative anti-doping efforts that athletes can trust.”
The Board expressed its deep gratitude to Professor Uğur Erdener for his enduring support and welcomed Ms. Dagmawit Berhane’s appointment as a signal of continued collaboration and excellence within the Olympic Movement. The Foundation Board of the ITA is composed of four independent Members, among whom the Chair of the Board, Dr. Valérie Fourneyron, and three Members representing the interests of athletes, the IOC and the International Sport Federations. In addition, the World Anti-Doping Agency has one non-voting representative taking part in the Board meetings as an Observer.
Warm congratulations were extended to Ms. Kirsty Coventry on her election as President of the International Olympic Committee, alongside a formal note of thanks to former IOC President Mr. Thomas Bach for his unwavering support of the ITA since its inception in 2018.
In addition, members acknowledged the re-election of Mr. Witold Bańka and Ms. Yang Yang as President and Vice-President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), congratulating them and commending their efforts in strengthening the global fight against doping and wishing them success in their renewed mandates.
The ITA briefed the Board on its contributions to the upcoming 2027 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards, which will be adopted at the World Conference on Doping in Sport later this year in Busan, South Korea. Through active participation in the consultation process, the ITA has reinforced key principles of the Code — most notably, the protection of athletes’ rights to participate in doping-free sport and the promotion of health, fairness, and equality. The Board emphasised that no country or international federation should tolerate or legitimise sporting events where doping is permitted or encouraged. A unified global commitment to the Code remains essential to maintaining the integrity of sport.
New ITA Board Member representing the IOC: Ms. Dagmawit Girmay Berhane.
“The continued progress of the ITA reflects the strength of a model built on independence, professionalism, and collaboration,” said the Chair of the ITA Foundation Board, Dr. Valérie Fourneyron. “As we welcome Ms. Dagmawit Berhane to the Board, we also reaffirm our collective responsibility to protect clean athletes and ensure that the fundamental values of fairness and equality remain at the heart of all sporting events. The upcoming 2027 World Anti-Doping Code offers an opportunity for the global community to recommit to these principles. Upholding athlete trust requires that every anti-doping effort be carried out with transparency, integrity, and full operational independence.”
She also reiterated the essential role of independent anti-doping governance, underscoring the significance of delegating anti-doping operations to the ITA — an organisation free from influence by sport event organisers and federations. The Chair also welcomed ongoing discussions within WADA’s Working Group on the Operational Independence of National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs), noting that such initiatives are vital to fostering trust among athletes, especially concerning the testing of international-level competitors.
In this context, the Board expressed satisfaction with the recent partnership between the ITA and iNADO and applauded the ITA’s sustained engagement with NADOs and Regional Anti-Doping Organisations (RADOs) worldwide. This cooperation is central to building expertise and reinforcing the global system’s independence and credibility. As part of this ongoing collaboration, the Clean Sport in Action International Forum will unite next spring the ITA, NADOs and RADOs as well as anti-doping laboratories to exchange on the implementation of anti-doping programs under the World Anti-Doping Code.
The ITA Director General, Mr. Cohen, presented a detailed update on the implementation of the ITA’s 2023–2026 Strategic Plan, noting that as of June 2025, 91% of the 152 strategic projects spread across six strategic pillars have been completed or are currently in progress. This reflects the ITA’s consistent delivery on its objectives and its commitment to high operational standards.
Key highlights from the Director General’s activity report included:
The Board unanimously approved the audited financial statements for 2024, highlighting the ITA’s sound financial performance and the first break-even for the not-for-profit foundation. The results reflected significant revenue growth balanced with stringent cost controls, enabling continued investment in core operational and strategic initiatives that protect the integrity of sport.
