New Delhi [India], May 16 (ANI): National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India, with support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, hosted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Intelligence & Investigations (I&I) Workshop from May 12-16 in New Delhi.

The event, organised under the aegis of WADA and in partnership with INTERPOL and Sport Integrity Australia, was attended by representatives from National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) and law enforcement agencies from India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and officials from the South Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization.

It brought together intelligence and investigations experts from across the globe to share knowledge, strengthen cooperation, and enhance the global anti-doping system, as per a press release from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Over the five-day workshop, participants engaged in comprehensive sessions on intelligence functions and investigative techniques, confidential source management, open-source research, and analytical and interviewing methods.

The sessions underscored the importance of proactive and coordinated approaches to safeguarding athletes and upholding the integrity of sport.

Anant Kumar, Director General of NADA India, stated, 'NADA India is honored to have had the privilege of hosting WADA, INTERPOL, Sport Integrity Australia, and our counterparts from the Asian region for this week's workshop. The knowledge gained and the connections made throughout the training will go a long way in establishing intelligence and investigations capability and capacity in the region.'

Gunter Younger, Director of Intelligence and Investigations at WADA, expressed his appreciation for being in India for the workshop under the Intelligence and Investigations Capability and Capacity Building Project in Asia and Oceania.

He stated, ' I am pleased with the progress we have made thus far in the region and have no doubt that it will make a marked impact in the protection of clean sport here and around the world.'

This workshop was part of the Capability and Capacity Building Project, a key initiative focused on strengthening WADA's Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN), and aimed at enhancing international collaboration and improving the overall effectiveness of anti- doping efforts worldwide.

In continuation of this initiative, a second workshop is scheduled to take place in India in July 2025. (ANI)