WADA publishes 2014 Anti-Doping Rule Violations report

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published its second annual Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) Report on Wednesday (27 April), which represents the most comprehensive set of global doping statistics in sport for 2014.

The Report highlights that there was a total of 1,693 ADRVs recorded in 2014, involving individuals from 109 nationalities and across 83 sports. Of the ADRVs, 1,462 were derived from adverse analytical findings (AAFs); these 1,462 ADRVs represented 64 per cent of the total 2,287 AAFs that were reported by WADA-accredited laboratories. The remaining 231 non-analytical ADRVs were issued as a result of evidence-based intelligence; of which, 185 were committed by athletes and 46 by athlete support personnel.

It is important to note that the 2014 ADRVs Report is based on violations that were committed and adjudicated pursuant to the 2009 World Anti-Doping Code (Code). Statistics related to violations committed and adjudicated pursuant to the 2015 Code will be released in 2017.

“The 2014 ADRVs Report makes for particularly interesting reading in combination with WADA’s 2014 Testing Figures Report that was published last July,” said WADA President, Sir Craig Reedie. “The 2014 Testing Figures Report highlighted the number of adverse analytical findings reported by WADA-accredited laboratories; whereas, the 2014 ADRVs Report confirms the number of those findings that resulted in sanctions,” he continued. “The ADRVs Report released represents the most comprehensive set of global doping statistics for sports and countries for 2014.

“WADA looks forward to next year’s ADRVs Report; which, we believe, will reflect the impact of the new Code and the improved practice being carried out by the anti-doping community,” added Reedie.

“While many of the ADRVs resulted from analytical urine and blood testing, a notable number of ADRVs (231 in total) were declared for athletes and athlete support personnel that resulted from non-analytical means,” said WADA Director General, David Howman. “These were determined through evidenced-based intelligence collected; such as evading, refusing or failing to submit a sample; possession and/or trafficking of a prohibited substance; or complicity, amongst other means,” Howman continued. “This proves the increasing importance of non-analytical approaches to anti-doping, something which is now well emphasized under the revised World Anti-Doping Code,” he added.

“The Report also reminds us of the importance of values-based education to prevention and risk minimisation,” said Howman. “Such education programs enable two-way discussion with athletes on why doping is wrong, why it should not be done and how they can protect themselves against it.”

Please click here to download the full Report