The International Skating Union (ISU) is joining forces with the International Testing Agency (ITA). The latter will oversee the IF's anti-doping program starting this July. ISU President Jae Youl Kim sees this as a strong signal and a logical continuation of the efforts already undertaken: With a legacy of more than 50 years in the fight against doping, the ISU has long been recognized as a pioneer in promoting clean sport and protecting athletes. (…) Our partnership with the ITA marks a decisive step, guaranteeing complete independence, transparency and global expertise in the implementation of our anti-doping program. »
« Skating is a pillar of the Olympic Movement, believes the director general of the ITA, Benjamin Cohen. We recognize the ISU's very robust anti-doping program, established over the years by skilled professionals and committed experts. By joining forces with the ITA, the ISU is making a strong and meaningful statement: integrity, good governance and clean sport are fundamental to the future of skating. "The first objective of this collaboration will be to ensure that ISU skaters are clean for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, by strengthening the existing program.
The ITA and ISU have reached another agreement to implement a Olympic targeted anti-doping program for neutral individual athletes (AIN) eligible athletes from Russia and Belarus for participation in the Winter Olympic Games. This program will ensure that these athletes are subject to rigorous testing, conducted exclusively by independent sample collection personnel. All samples will be analyzed in WADA-accredited laboratories located outside of Russia.
