Qatar Anti-Doping Commission celebrates 20th anniversary, inaugurates new headquarters

Under the theme ‘20 Years of Integrity and Excellence’, the Qatar Anti-Doping Commission (QADC) held a national celebration Wednesday, to mark its 20th anniversary and inaugurate its new headquarters in Doha.

The event was attended by Witold Bańka, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), along with a number of dignitaries, sports officials, and media representatives from Qatar and abroad.

The occasion highlighted the commission’s institutional evolution since its founding in 2005, culminating in its official recognition this year as an “Independent National Anti-Doping Organization.”

QADC continues to promote a clean sporting environment through testing programs, education, awareness campaigns, and adherence to international standards.

The event featured presentations on QADC’s strategic plan for 2023–2027 and showcased key milestones from the past two decades, including its contributions to major sporting events such as the 2006 Asian Games and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, among others.

Reflecting Qatar’s strong commitment to clean sport on the global stage, WADA announced during the event that it had received an additional financial contribution of USD 1.5mn from the Government of Qatar to support scientific research—on top of Qatar’s regular annual contribution. This funding will be directed toward enhancing scientific research at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Doha, supporting global research projects, and expanding the annual laboratory symposium, which brings together leading international experts. This initiative underscores the close partnership between Qatar and WADA and their shared commitment to advancing integrity in sport through innovation and global collaboration.

During the event, QADC also unveiled several new initiatives, including:

• The launch of the new national awareness slogan “Just Play”
• The introduction of a bilingual national educational toolkit (in Arabic and English)
• The debut of the first interactive content designed for the visually impaired, developed in collaboration with the Qatar Cultural Center for the Blind

Simultaneously, QADC presented its 2024 Annual Report, highlighting the achievement of operational targets with 2,269 doping tests conducted and over 4,000 educational events organized. The Commission also achieved five international ISO certifications across multiple domains.

The event concluded with a visual presentation titled “Behind This Success – The QADC Team,” celebrating staff contributions, followed by a private meeting between the QADC Board of Directors and the WADA delegation, and a group photo session to commemorate the occasion.