PRESS RELEASE

THE ITA PUBLISHES FINAL REPORT ON THE TESTING OF ATHLETES AHEAD OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024

The International Testing Agency (ITA) publishes its final report on the comprehensive doping control monitoring program conducted in the lead-up to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 across participating countries and sports. The report highlights a significant improvement of testing ahead of an edition of the Games for Paris 2024, with 90% of athletes tested at least once in the six months prior to the event. For the first time, the ITA’s Paris 2024 Pre-Games report transparently outlines the testing levels of all involved sports and National Olympic Committees (NOCs), as well as the challenges and limitations encountered and recommendations for future Olympic pre-Games initiatives.

The Paris 2024 pre-Games program was part of the ITA’s comprehensive anti-doping strategy for Paris 2024, which also included Games-time testing, intelligence & investigations activities as well as long-term storage and re-analysis after the event. It constituted a key phase of the clean sport efforts for the Games and aimed to ensure that all athletes could compete on a level playing field during the Olympics, no matter where they came from. During this preparatory period, it was the shared responsibility of the respective International Summer Olympic Federations (IFs, or the ITA on their behalf) and National/Regional Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs/RADOs) to subject their athletes to a risk-proportionate testing regime before they competed in France. The ITA Paris 2024 pre-Games program provided an additional layer of independent strategic support and monitoring, to ensure athletes were tested adequately ahead of the Games.

The ITA Paris 2024 pre-Games Expert Group, consisting of international experts from three NADOs and one IF, as well as specialised in-house ITA experts, established a bespoke risk assessment for athletes likely to participate in the Games. This assessment combined a large set of data and risk factors, including testing gaps observed across sports and countries. This allowed the group to share testing recommendations with other anti-doping organisations (IFs and NADOs/RADOs) to ensure that effective testing was conducted globally through a coordinated effort. The implementation of these recommendations was continuously monitored after they were shared. Additionally, a Paris 2024 pre-Games Supervisory Panel, with the presence of anti-doping experts, athlete representatives and an observer from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), ensured the transparency of the program as well as oversight and alignment with global anti-doping standards.

This ITA Paris 2024 pre-Games report, the first of its kind, details the methodical approach, the final outcomes and conclusions of the Paris 2024 pre-Games program. It transparently showcases the testing of athletes ahead of the Games for each participating sport and NOC. The conclusions of the report also contain recommendations to ensure the further enhancement of future pre-Games initiatives.

Key outcomes of the Paris 2024 Pre-Games Program include a notable increase in testing volume and improved compliance with testing recommendations across the anti-doping community. 90% of potential Olympic athletes were tested at least once in the six months leading up to the Games, marking a significant advancement in pre-Games testing and setting a new benchmark for future events. For comparison, about 15% of the athletes competing at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 were not tested in the six-month period ahead of the event. Of the Paris 2024 athletes that were not tested in that period, only one-third competed in high-risk sports. 59% of the athletes were tested by their respective NADO/RADO, 41% by their IF. Finally, the pre-Games period saw a testing uptake of 45% compared to the preceding six-month period (June-Dec 2023).

“This pre-Games testing initiative is crucial not only in mitigating doping risks but also in fostering athlete and public confidence in the Olympic Games as a symbol of fair competition,” said ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen. “Our team, along with anti-doping partners worldwide, has implemented the most robust pre-Games testing program in Olympic history, and we are grateful for their dedication to this shared mission. Looking forward, the ITA will leverage the lessons from the Paris 2024 program to further refine pre-Games testing strategies for future Olympic events, starting with the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina. This report underscores the importance of early, focused anti-doping efforts and offers athletes, Anti-Doping Organisations and the general public a transparent insight into the testing endeavours ahead of the Games.”

The full report on the Paris 2024 Pre-Games Anti-Doping Program, including conclusions and recommendations for future improvements, is now available on the ITA website. The ITA remains steadfast in its mission to protect the spirit of fair play in sport and uphold the trust of athletes and fans worldwide.

About the ITA

The International Testing Agency (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, for International Federations (IFs), Major Event Organisers (MEOs) and all other anti-doping organisations requesting support.