Twenty years of the WADA Code

It has been two decades since the first WADA Code was published in 2004—a milestone that marked a turning point in the sport anti-doping movement. But ever wonder how it all began?

The roots of the anti-doping movement trace back to the 1960 Rome Olympics, when Danish cyclist, Knud Enemark Jensen collapsed during the 100km team road race and later passed away. It was suspected that his death was linked to the use of amphetamines to enhance performance. This tragic incident became one of the first sparks for the anti-doping movement, highlighting the need for regulation and safety in sport.

Seven years later, in 1967, anti-doping testing was introduced for the first time in an international sporting event, Tour de France and later at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Over the 1970’s and 1980’s the understanding of doping in sport gradually improved as did the commitment from the sporting community to address it.

However, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established. Funded equally by the Olympic Movement and Governments of the world, WADA’s mission was to harmonize the rules that govern anti-doping across sports and across countries.

The first WADA Code came into effect in January 2004. WADA committed to making the Code a “living document” subject to periodic review, and through a collaborative and transparent process. In keeping with that commitment, the Code and International Standards have undergone subsequent reviews which resulted in the 2009, 2015, and 2021 Codes and International Standards.

Now, twenty years since the first WADA Code, we are amid the 2027 Code Review. The process, which began in 2023, will conclude with the final versions of the Code and International Standards being presented for approval at the sixth World Conference on Doping in December 2025.

For the ICC, the current 2021 ICC Code will undergo its own review in consultation with Members, to ensure it remains effective and compliant with the updated WADA Code and International Standards that will come into effect on 1 January 2027.