Anti-Doping Lab Qatar concludes annual symposium

Anti-Doping Lab Qatar (ADLQ) has successfully concluded its tenth annual symposium, titled "Novel Challenges & Biomarkers Discovery," at the Aspire Academy Auditorium.
The three-day event featured a host of international experts in the field of anti-doping, who shared their research and insights on novel challenges and biomarkers discovery.
The symposium's final day was particularly significant, as it was graced by HE the Minister of Sports and Youth Salah bin Ghanem al-Ali. He affirmed Qatar's support for all international, regional, and local efforts concerned with anti-doping in sports, emphasising the importance of promoting a competitive sports environment that is free of doping.
"The success of Qatar in hosting major sporting events, the latest of which was the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, is an affirmation of Qatar’s interest in sports and the support of those in charge of it, including the authorities concerned with combating doping in sports in the country, and effective co-ordination with international bodies," said al-Ali.
The symposium was chaired by Prof Mohamed al-Maadheed, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ADLQ, director-general of the Naufar Rehabilitation Centre and director of the Centre of Metabolism and Inflammation, University College London, UK.
"ADLQ’s Annual Symposium is a vital event that brings together a diverse range of anti-doping experts from around the world," said Prof al-Maadheed. “It provides a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, discussing new research findings, and exploring innovative solutions to the ongoing challenges of doping in sport."
The ADLQ Annual Symposium is an important initiative by the ADLQ, which is dedicated to promoting fair play and integrity in sports through scientific research and analysis. The symposium's success underscores the commitment of Qatar to leading the global fight against doping in sports and promoting clean and fair competition for all athletes.
The ADLQ symposium brought together several sporting, medical and scientific institutions, including addiction treatment centres, sports medicine hospitals, and anti-doping agencies. The symposium addressed the latest scientific research and use of modern technology in these fields.
During the symposium, laboratory analysis and the latest research findings from around the world were discussed. The Qatari laboratory has secured a global position through its pioneering research and its collaboration with other research partners, including a project related to the use of drones to transport anti-doping samples for the first time.
Among the highlights of the symposium was the presentation by Prof Olivier Rabin, from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), on "WADA's perspective on biomarker discovery." He spoke about how WADA has promoted the discovery of biomarkers to reveal the abuse of doping substances since its inception. Prof Rabin also discussed the Athlete’s Biological Passport, which provides a framework for application of biomarkers to infer the use of prohibited substances or methods. The symposium was organised by ADLQ, in collaboration with Aspetar Hospital and Naufar.