During the press conference with Vice Chancellor and Minister of Sport, Mag. Werner Kogler, to present the new, joint location with 100% Sport and Play Fair Code, NADA Austria presented its 2021 annual report. New record levels were recorded both in the number of doping tests conducted and in the number of preventive measures.
With a total of 3,261 doping samples collected by NADA Austria in 2021, the previous record of 3,224 from 2017 was surpassed despite the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the main reasons for this was the close scheduling of the Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. National testing increased the previous record of 2,330 doping samples from 2019 by 5 percent to 2,448.
NADA Austria Managing Director Michael Cepic: "We brought the doping control program back to a high level very quickly in the first year of the pandemic, even compared to other countries, so that no gaps arise. This, combined with the numerous postponements of sporting events from 2020 to 2021, has now led to this record number of doping controls."
Federal Anti-Doping Act 2021 sets new standards
One of the most significant changes in the "Anti-Doping Federal Act 2021," which came into force on January 1, 2021, was the obligation for sports organizations to implement binding doping prevention measures based on the doping risk of the respective sport. After more than a year of anti-doping work under this new legal framework, it can already be seen that the associations' doping prevention efforts have been significantly expanded in coordination with NADA Austria.
While the number of on-site training courses and information tour appearances decreased from 353 to 140 compared to the record year of 2019, the number of eLearning completions more than doubled from 2,048 in 2019 to 4,966 in 2021. NADA Austria annually evaluates the implementation of the doping prevention plans established in consultation with the sports organizations. Failure to implement the specified measures may result in the repayment of sports funding.
Sports law review of “Operation Aderlass” completed
Operation Aderlass has shown that uncovering professional fraud networks requires not only anti-doping organizations but also state investigative authorities. Cepic: "The Federal Anti-Doping Act provides a very good, effective basis for cooperation between NADA Austria, the police, especially the special unit of the Federal Criminal Police Office, customs authorities, and the public prosecutors."
Seventeen anti-doping proceedings under sports law have been initiated in connection with Operation Aderlass to date, 15 of which have already been legally concluded at the time of writing this 2021 Annual Report, with sanctions ranging from three years to lifetime bans. At this point in time, this represents a total ban of 48.5 years and three lifetime suspensions.
Cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe
Founded in 2019, the Central European Anti-Doping Organization (CEADO) is committed to intensive cooperation between the anti-doping organizations of Croatia, Austria, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. In cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), a mentoring program for the anti-doping organizations of Albania, Armenia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Moldova was initiated and will continue in 2022.
NADA Austria is supporting the restructuring of the Greek Anti-Doping Organization as part of a separate cooperation. The goal is to establish anti-doping organizations in these countries that fully comply with the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code.
Michael Cepic, Chairman of CEADO until 2023, said: "Sport is international; our athletes compete against competitors from all over the world. Therefore, it is important that uniform standards for anti-doping work are implemented worldwide. We support these countries in implementing WADA's requirements."
For further information, please contact: Dr. David Müller, Head of Information and Prevention at NADA Austria, +43 1 505 80 35 14, d.mueller@nada.at
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