The ITA starts collaboration with CEADO to advance clean sport in Central Europe

The partnership focuses on the coordination of testing, intelligence-sharing and training & education.

In line with its expressed commitment to further enhance clean sport efforts worldwide through alliances with anti-doping organisations, the ITA has signed a Cooperation Agreement with CEADO, an umbrella organisation representing NADOs from central Europe. CEADO has the purpose of strengthening the anti-doping cause through cooperation and represents the interest of the NADOs of Austria, Croatia*, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The new partnership focuses on harmonising testing efforts to ensure an effective allocation of resources, and is at the same time benefiting athletes, as potential doping controls on the same time frame by two different entities can be avoided.

The collaboration also supports the exchange of information between the ITA and the NADOs represented by CEADO, which will benefit both potential investigations and intelligence-led doping controls for all concerned organisations. The partnership also supports future collaboration between the ITA and CEADO when it comes to education and prevention initiatives in the scope of the International Standard for Education in the form of the development and implementation of education plans and the delivery of event-based and virtual outreach sessions.

“I wish to thank the national anti-doping organisations from the eight countries that constitute CEADO for their trust and collaboration with the ITA”, notes ITA Director-General Benjamin Cohen. “The ITA is already very active in these countries and will be even more so with the management of cycling’s anti-doping program this year onward. I look forward to this partnership which will enhance efficiency and intelligence while creating important synergies between national- and international-level anti-doping programs.”

“CEADO´s main goal is to strengthen and support the anti-doping work for the benefit of clean athletes not only in the member countries of CEADO, but for all clean athletes.”, states Michael Cepic, the Chairman of CEADO´s Board. “We are confident that our collaboration with the ITA contributes to the harmonization of anti-doping programs and the anti-doping efforts worldwide.”

The ITA has already established frameworks of collaboration with thirteen NADOs. Additionally, the ITA fosters partnerships with NADOs and other partners to specifically promote quality testing across the world through its IDCO Training & Certification Program. The program enables existing trained Doping Control Officers (DCOs) currently working at local or national level to attain an advanced ITA Certification and to deliver testing programs at international sporting events such as international championships, Olympic Games, and other major events. CEADO is committed to deliver this ITA Certification to their workforce and a training is already scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary, in April where 30 International DCOs coming from all 8 CEADO countries will be trained and certified by the ITA.

The ITA strongly believes that the anti-doping community is able to bring the support of clean athletes to the next level by working hand-in-hand through close partnerships and cooperation. Consequently, the ITA welcomes to its network any National Anti-Doping Organisation that wishes to join this initiative and will actively seek further collaborations.

* The MoU with Croatia is currently being finalised with the Croatian Ministry of Health.