Doping

18.01.2023

WADA reports "return to normal testing levels" in 2021 figures

WADA reports "return to normal testing levels" in 2021 figures
  • Members of the discussion:

  • Last reply:


The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reported a 61.2 per cent increase in the number of testing samples analysed and recorded for 2021 compared to the previous year, which was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 241,430 urine and non-athlete biological passport blood samples analysed and reported into the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System was up from 149,758 in 2020.

However, the number of samples analysed in 2021 was down from 2017, 2018 and 2019, when 245,232, 263,519 and 278,047 were reported respectively.


WADA director general Olivier Niggli insisted that the results of the Testing Figures Report represented a return to normality.

We are pleased to publish the 2021 edition of WADA’s Annual Testing Figures Report, which is the most comprehensive overview of all doping control samples analysed and reported by WADA-accredited and WADA-approved laboratories around the world,

he said.

The quick return to normal testing levels around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increases in samples collected, analysed and reported in 2021 compared to 2020.

The Agency would like to commend the Anti-Doping Organisations and accredited laboratories around the world for their quick and effective efforts in rising to the challenges presented by COVID-19.

The Testing Figures Report is an important tool for information-sharing between Anti-Doping Organisations as well as a foundational piece on which to build and adjust their anti-doping programmes.

It provides the anti-doping community with valuable data and information allowing for strategy evaluation and identifying potential patterns, best practices and areas of improvement.

The total number of samples recorded by WADA in 2021 increased significantly from the dip in 2020, which is explained by the COVID-19 pandemic 

Increases in the total number of samples analysed and reported were recorded by nearly all of the 28 WADA-accredited laboratories and two WADA-approved laboratories for the Athlete Biological Passport.

The 22,398 non-athlete biological passport blood and dried blood samples was an increase from 10,940 in the previous year, and also a percentage increase from the total taken from 9.3 per cent to 7.3 per cent.


The number of athlete biological passport blood samples was also up by 36 per cent from 22,666 to 30,821, with two additional International Federations up to 26 and 12 additional National Anti-Doping

Organisations up to 72 including this form of testing.


The percentage of adverse analytical findings reported reduced slightly from 0.67 per cent in 2020 to 0.65 per cent in 2021, although the number increased from 1,009 to 1,560.

WADA director general Olivier Niggli said there had been a "quick return to normal testing levels around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic" 

This comes with the caveat that adverse analytical findings do not necessarily equate to anti-doping rule violations reported by Anti-Doping Organisations, who take into account therapeutic use exemptions and longitudinal studies.

A notable increase in the number of adverse analytical findings for growth hormone was reported, up to seven from one in 2020.


The 2021 report provides the first set of global testing figures under the World Anti-Doping Code that came into effect in January of that year.


The postponement to Tokyo 2020 also meant that it was an Olympic and Paralympic Games year.

The report includes sub-reports by laboratory, sport, testing authority and athlete biological passport blood analysis.

Top
Top of discussion

The 2023 World Figure Skating Championships Conclude in a Blaze of Glory for Japan

This Championship was pretty amazing! And it showed that without Russians it didn’t become less interesting. The public doesn’t need quads by 15 year olds to enjoy the competition

Elena Anikina: "We hope, especially considering the position and strategy which IOC has now, that very soon the situation will be changed"

Apparently, soon Russia will have to build luge-bobsleigh tracks not only in Russia, but also in partner countries!) In terms of competitiveness for Russian bobsleigh, this is a st

Alexander Tkachev: "We make sure that our athletes get the most important thing - the opportunity to compete"

Yes, it is an interesting vector of development, it is also important here what projects and initiatives Russia can offer for Asian countries? Will we be able to host the Asian Che

Israeli gymnastics hit by allegations parents were asked to bribe judges

A great case, it seems tha now we need an analogue of WADA, who will investigate attempts to bribe judges, etc. It will be very interesting.

Sport and politics: my experiences as an athlete

Все это лишь еще раз доказывает, что спорт должен оставаться вне политики. К сожалению, чаще всего это просто слова.

Olympian, Nassar survivor Tasha Schwikert Moser on USA Gymnastics' board of directors

Очень круто, когда человек уверен, что именно он может что-то изменить, а особенно когда человек знает спорт изнутри. Уважать!

Disqualified for running in a hijab, Noor Alexandria Abukaram turned pain into action

Хочу поблагодарить эту спортсменку за то, что она не побоялась поставить свою историю в пример. Я считаю, что спортсмен может раскрыть свою религию. Хиджаб – выявленная черта мусул

Suni Lee finds support at Auburn after Olympics 'impostor syndrome'

Случайно, я знаю об этой спортсменке, сделал один вывод, что она точно не блещет, она очень солнечный человек. Жаль, что кто-то не был счастлив, когда она заслужила золото для свое

'Anesthetic injections are....' - WADA chief on doping accusation on French Open winner Rafael Nadal

Да, конечно, спорт — это преодоление себя. А к Рафаэлю вопросов нет, только респект за шикарную игрушку. Но все же, мне кажется, нельзя на сто процентов сказать, что теннисистка то

Give us a chance

Yes, I think athlets from foreign countries understand that all Championships and tournaments are not competitive enough without Russian athlets. I think one day when the situatio

Sport and Politics. Instead of afterword

The question of connection between Sports and Politics was always "exstra burning". So I am interested in your opinion: where should be the border between sport and politics and wh

“Oh, come on, where’s the medals?” or Do the media force athletes too hard?

I am pleased to announce that the British duck has been broken. Team GB will win at least one silver by the end of the Games on Sunday following their win in the Men's Curling semi

We use cookies to improve the site and your interaction with it. If you continue to use this website, you are giving :appName permission to collect and store cookies on your device.