Pilot Project - Building investigative capacity to better fight doping in sport in Europe

The goals of the project are as follows:

• to develop a set of complementary measures and activities that would address the issues mentioned above and have concrete benefits for the maximum number of European ADOs and, more generally, the anti-doping system;
• to allow ADOs to partner with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to conduct investigations, protect whistle-blowers and cooperate on joint investigations with law enforcement agencies and the global network of investigators;
• to build capacity in the European anti-doping system, reduce the prevalence of doping in sport and maximise the health benefits generated by the practice of clean sport by European youths.

The project will be built on the following four pillars:

• Assistance to develop a robust legislative framework that allows for the sharing of information between ADOs, law enforcement agencies and WADA and for the protection of whistle-blowers;
• Assistance to develop the best mechanism (forums, conferences or online platforms) for sharing information on legislation and best practices on investigations, and on protecting whistle-blowers;
• Assistance to build the investigative capacity of ADOs by providing training sessions to employees or hiring experts;
• Assistance to allow ADOs to contribute to global networks of investigators.

The project will contribute in many ways to the objectives of the EU, including by:

• protecting public health – doping is not just a problem affecting elite athletes and sport; but also, a threat to the society as a whole; especially youth. Research can attest a growth in the use of steroids and other prohibited substances by amateur athletes and youth to look and perform better.
• providing new tools to combat the organized crime – selling doping substances is a ‘low risk – highly profitable activity’. Research demonstrate the involvement of organized crime in the manufacturing and trafficking of doping substance in sports along other illicit substances. Sharing of information between ADOs and law enforcement ADOs will help optimizing the fight against manufacturing and trafficking in doping substances.
• improving sports governance in and outside Europe - this project will contribute to strengthening the governance of sport organizations and to share EU values with other partners through the involvement of non-EU countries in the implementation of the project.