WADA leaders highlight integrity, education at Beijing anti-doping dialogue

BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka joined anti-doping leaders, university students and faculty members at Beijing's Tsinghua University on Sunday for an event promoting fair competition and the values of clean sport.

Entitled "Play True, One Team -- Dialogue with WADA President Witold Banka," the event brought together Banka, WADA Vice President Yang Yang, WADA Director General Olivier Niggli, and Li Zhiquan, Director of the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA), for exchanges on global anti-doping efforts and the importance of safeguarding integrity in sport.

Addressing students at her alma mater, Yang reflected on her journey from Olympic champion to international sports administrator, describing fair competition as the foundation that enabled athletes to pursue excellence with confidence.

Yang said the spirit embodied in Tsinghua University's motto, "Self-discipline and Social Commitment," shares common ground with WADA's "Play True" philosophy, and encouraged young people to uphold their values, broaden their international outlook and actively participate in global sports governance.

Li outlined the development of China's anti-doping system, tracing its evolution from the adoption of the "strict prohibition, strict testing and strict sanctions" policy to the establishment of specialized anti-doping institutions and a comprehensive governance framework involving multiple government departments.

According to Li, China now conducts more than 27,000 doping tests annually and continues to expand anti-doping education programs in schools and universities. He said the country maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward doping while strengthening international cooperation to safeguard fairness and justice in sport.

In a keynote presentation, Banka introduced WADA's mission, progress in global anti-doping cooperation and the challenges facing the international anti-doping movement.

Speaking to Xinhua, Banka said WADA's core mission is to unite stakeholders across the sporting world to protect the integrity of sport.

"We work together to protect the integrity of sport as one Play True team, as one community," Banka said. "I think it's the biggest asset of the anti-doping community and of WADA -- bringing people together to defend positive values."

Niggli emphasized the importance of education in anti-doping efforts, describing it as the long-term solution to protecting clean sport.

"Education is the only long-term response to anti-doping," Niggli told Xinhua. "Deterrence is necessary and needs to be there to preserve clean sport and a level playing field on a day-to-day basis. But long term, you need to educate the next generation and make sure these values are instilled as early as possible."

He added that culture and education play a critical role in helping young people make the right decisions when confronted with situations involving doping.

The event also served as a prelude to a series of international anti-doping meetings scheduled in Beijing. The WADA Asia and Oceania Intergovernmental Ministerial Meeting and the Fifth CHINADA Anti-Doping Symposium will be held on June 1, followed by the WADA Asia and Oceania Symposium from June 2 to 3. Enditem