History of ANADO

ANADO is a dynamic organization working on behalf several world leading National Anti-Doping Organisations. Its main objective is working together to develop quality anti-doping programs to strengthen global anti-doping efforts and to ultimately protect athletes’ fundamental rights to compete in healthy sport, free from the use of prohibited drugs and methods.

The idea of establishing a professional association to promote and assist national anti-doping organizations (NADOs) to achieve their anti-doping aims had been discussed between a number of leading NADOs over several years. In particular, it was identified by the International Anti-Doping Arrangement (IADA consists of 10 governments with NADOs) there be established; “…a member organization which organizes those organizations that want to, support or have already developed and implemented the ISO Quality System” (referring to the International Organization for Standardization).

In order to facilitate this, the NADOs from Canada, Australia and Norway comprising the Drug Free Sports Consortium (DFSC) called a meeting of its contracted NADOs in November 2002 to discuss the proposal. It was agreed between the fourteen NADOs present that the proposed Association of National Anti-Doping Organizations (ANADO) would be an international, non-political and non-governmental membership-based association of NADOs.

The association was intended to function like most professional associations, where members benefit from the opportunity to meet, discuss the work, share information and, where appropriate, undertake cooperative action or positions in the interest of improving the anti-doping profession.

On 28 April 2003, the Association of National Anti-Doping Organizations was established at an inaugural meeting where 17 NADOs were represented. Paul Melia (CCES) was elected as President, Michele Verroken (UK Sport) as Vice-President, and five NADO representatives were elected to the Executive Committee. Anti-Doping Norway agreed to host the secretariat.

Since then, the Executive Committee has had regular teleconferences and meetings. ANADO’s first Annual General Assembly took place on 5 November 2003, in Strasbourg, France. In addition to the 40 (forty) participants representing 26 institutions, the Annual General Assembly was attended by World Anti-Doping Agency representatives.

Since that time we have had several workshops (two per year) in various regions of the world. These workshops are intended to discuss topical issues of importance and interest and offer program development opportunities. The most recent workshop took place in Lausanne, Switzerland March 2008. These workshops are combined with our Annual General Assemblies which now occur during the first workshop of each year.

Today our membership base is 55 and growing steadily. In January 2007 ANADO set up its head office in Ottawa, Canada and transferred the legal registration from Norway to Canada during the first part of the year. Our new constitution is now in place and we have a Board of Directors with membership from all Olympic regions of the world who are responsible for policy approval and the financial well being of the organization (please click here) for more information on the Board. There is also a Management Working Commission in place to oversee the activities of ANADO on amore regular basis, particularly as it relates to business service activity.

The Headquarters are located in the main offices of the Sport Information Resource Center (SIRC) in downtown Ottawa. ANADO has entered into a strategic partnership with SIRC whereby ANADO promotes SIRC and its world leading service to its members around the world in exchange for office space and financial and Information technology support.

ANADO has two staff located in Ottawa and two staff located in Colorado and Montreal with additional staff coming soon, working from Europe.

The offices are located at; 180 Elgin Street, Suite 1400, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2K3

For more information on ANADO you can visit our website at www.anado.org or contact:

ANADO also works to support the objectives of the World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA is responsible for leading and coordinating anti-doping efforts in all its forms and is currently finalizing a review of the World Anti-Doping Code. For more information on WADA you are invited to visit their website at www.wada-ama.org