The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) welcomes the publication of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) official report from the Independent Observer (IO) team, which has praised the work of the IPC’s Anti-Doping Team at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The five-member IO team appointed by WADA was tasked with monitoring the effectiveness of the IPC’s anti-doping programme at the Paris Games, which took place from 28 August to 8 September. WADA’s Independent Observer programme seeks to safeguard the integrity of sport and build confidence in the anti-doping processes by ensuring fairness, transparency and compliance.
The report outlines key observations, challenges and opportunities to further strengthen the IPC’s anti-doping programme at future Paralympic Games. It praises the IPC on the overall quality of the testing programme, which included the greatest number of tests ever conducted at a Paralympic Games.
In particular, the report commended the establishment and successful implementation of the IPC’s first pre-Games Anti-Doping Task Force. This initiative helped to raise awareness of anti-doping within the Para sport context and identify gaps in athlete testing leading into the Games.
In total, the Independent Observers team report included 13 commendations, recognising the collaborative efforts made by the IPC, the Paris 2024 Local Organising Committee and the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD). It also acknowledged the quality and professionalism of the doping control workforce conducting the testing.
The report also provides 31 recommendations for IPC, WADA and future local organising committees and National Anti-doping Organisations (NADOs) to consider to further strengthen the anti-doping system at future Games.
During the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, a record 2,677 samples were collected from 1,988 doping control tests – the most at any Games. This led to 33 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs), of which nine were pursued and 24 were resolved through valid Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) or permitted routes.
In acknowledging the IO team report, Jude Ellis, Head of Anti-doping at the IPC said: “The IPC welcomed the IO Team’s involvement at the Paris Games. Their presence provided an assurance, in real time, that we were delivering a robust and transparent anti-doping programme – while also identifying areas we can improve on for future Games.
“We are proud of the collaborative efforts at Paris 2024 that delivered our most comprehensive anti-doping programme to date, helping ensure a level playing field for the athletes competing. The Independent Observers Report validates our commitment to clean sport and provides valuable insights to build on our experience for future Games.”
Among the other commendations from the IO team were:
– The comprehensive and detailed approach to assessing the level of doping risk in each Para sport, which informed and enhanced test planning.
– The quality of IPC’s Doping Control Guide for Testing Athletes in Para Sport.
– The launch of the Medication Check tool (which links with the Global Drug Reference Online) to help athletes and support staff identify prohibited substances in medications.
– Strengthening cooperation with Athlete Passport Management Units, to enable more intelligence-led testing.
– Taking swift action in response to feedback from the IO team to address issues and improve testing operations in real time.
– The efficiency and effectiveness of the anti-doping hub, which was set up to streamline the daily delivery of samples to the laboratory.
Ellis added: “Our success in Paris was a team effort, with a big shout out to all the staff and volunteers of Paris 2024 LOC, AFLD, the sample collection personnel, IPC Medical Committee, our Independent Anti-Doping Tribunal members and the volunteer experts that joined our team from Anti-Doping Organisations around the world.”
Looking towards Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, the IPC has already established a pre-Games Anti-Doping Taskforce to assist Anti-Doping Organisations in implementing an effective and coordinated testing programme for athletes likely to compete.